


I'll keep you (my dirty little secret)

by gurj14



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Black Badge as a special anti-terrorism unit, Boss/Employee Relationship, Captain Haught, Car Sex, Desk Sex, F/F, Phone Sex, Secret Relationship, Smut, Spies & Secret Agents, no demons, some porn that kickstarts the plot, we should just call it haught sex lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:27:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 32,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26459431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gurj14/pseuds/gurj14
Summary: Waverly can't keep her hands off of Nicole who she really should not be fornicating with - especially not in a Tibetan blacksite when they have a terrorist cell to take care of and a traitor in their midst. (complete).
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Comments: 64
Kudos: 513





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Part/ chapter 1 of 2! Probably not accurate at all regarding blacksites and agency ranking but this fiction is brought to you by Waverly and Nicole being thirsty and unprofessional.

“You’re bringing in a total outsider to run  _ our  _ division! It’s never going to work,” Dolls was furious as the volume of his voice rose. 

And why wouldn’t he be -- he was meant to be division Captain, he had fought everyday to be Black Badge’s highest performing agent and he was the best soldier they had. But instead of awarding him the position they promised, they were bringing in someone else -- someone who had not earned their right to lead and was simply appointed for whatever political bullshit Black Badge had decided to run with. 

“Cool your head Xavier,” Captain Nedley said loudly, a finger pointed at him in serious fashion, “it’s done. She’s being brought on at special request for the blacksite mission! I know you don’t want to hear it but this is her expertise, son. After this mission we can discuss your promotion on my recommendation but Agent -- no,  _ Captain  _ Haught, is the best of the best and I trust her with my life. Which she has saved. Countless times. Yours too.”

“She has never saved my life!” Dolls grit out. “I’ve never even heard her name until today.”

“That you know of,” Nedley lowered his voice now, aware the whole bullpen had heard some shouting from his office. “It’s my retirement too, Dolls. I would never leave you all with incapable hands. Haught is the real deal.”

Still furious but reluctantly accepting Nedley’s decision, Dolls stormed out of the office and slammed the door so hard Nedley’s painting fell and hit the ground. Nedley sighed. Nicole was going to have her hands full with his lot. 

Dolls angrily tugged at his tie and threw his blazer off. When angry, he sweated. As team leader he knew every single one of his agents trusted him and this was the biggest mission of their life coming up -- he and they could not trust an outsider to lead it even if Nedley and Black Badge did. They had come too far to drop the ball on this now. He growled his anger and collapsed at his leather chair. 

“What did he say?” HIs colleague agent Eliza Shapiro was the first to ask, concern evident in her eyes. Dolls bristled, feeling like he had let all his comrades down by not being selected as their new captain. 

He knew they were all heading to their blacksite location next week and the idea of some stranger calling the shots was not going to sit well with any of them. 

“That apparently this new Captain Nicole Haught -- who no one has ever heard of -- is a gift to us! A special request or some shit.”

“Agent Haught? I’ve never heard of no Agent Haught,” Agent Ramon Quinn furrowed his brows, scowling as he leaned over, “some old timer?”

As it would turn out, the whole bullpen had heard his shouting match with Nedley and his comrades whom he trusted with his life had come to check in on him. 

“She’s deep in black ops,” Agent John Henry Holliday told everyone. “I did a mission with her before… she’s good. Red hair. Tall..” 

Dolls groaned, he didn’t need to know his competition was respected by Holliday. Impressing Holliday was rare and it had taken him  _ multiple  _ missions. 

“So I’m right, an old timer if she did a mission with your ancient ass,” Quinn tossed back snarkily at John Henry, though he was only ten years older than. Quinn hardly liked the guy and the feeling was mutual over the years. Everyone tried to keep them away from missions together or distant to avoid arguments. 

“Fuck off Quinn,” Agent Wynonna Earp said from underneath her sunglasses as she perched her hip on Doll’s desk, “Doc there can still whoop your ass.” 

“Damn straight,” Holliday huffed. 

“And whether she is black ops or senile, we are the ones who have been tracking Cult of Bulshar for  _ years _ . I don’t trust someone to know it better than us,” Dolls practically slammed his hands against the table. “Fuck this bullshit.” 

“We need to have each other’s back with this new Captain, Dolls is right,” Wynonna offered a small smirk his way, pleased to see her words calmed him slightly down. “In the meantime, team leader -- let’s go over our mission for next week’s intel. Where the fuck is Jimmy?”

“It’s Jeremy,” the scrawnier Agent in the pen, the designated intel guy sheepishly handed them all their folders. “And for the record, I trust Captain Nedley… we should give this new captain a chance...”

“No one asked you,” Agent Quinn rolled his eyes, shutting Jeremy up. 

//

//

Waverly tipped the last of her whiskey down her throat, sighing and debating the pros and cons of drinking another. It was the annual forensics conference after all -- and she didn’t have to get up early in the morning… and her bodyguard, Rosita was there so... 

“If you decide you do want another I’d like to buy it for you.” 

The smooth voice that seemed to have read her mind had Waverly pause and cautiously turn, very much pleased with what she found. 

_ Damn.  _

Tall and a lean body, red hair (a fetish Waverly accidentally stumbled upon about herself during her year in Scotland) cropped stylishly short, soft brown eyes that were not leering yet clearly attracted to Waverly’s lips, and confidence. 

The kind of confidence Waverly had always shivered for -- not that she let anyone  _ know that _ of course. Kinks were private for a reason. 

“I’m Wav--”

“Waverly Earp.” The woman straightened her shoulders, knowing Waverly’s name. Suddenly Waverly felt thirsty. Yes. Another drink did sound okay from this attractive stranger hitting on her at a forensics conference. 

“You know my name?”

“Quite the popular girl around here,” the woman extended her hand, bearing nice white teeth and dimples that had Waverly feeling shy and self conscious all of a sudden. She shook the offered hand and felt the pull between them.

Hopefully it was a pull and not her misunderstanding the effects of whiskey. 

“And you are?”

“I’m Nicole. Nicole Haught.” 

Waverly bit her lip, feeling more sure of herself as Nicole dropped her hand and cleared her throat, obviously affected by their exchange from the gulp of her throat.

“I’ll take a whiskey, Nicole  _ Haught…  _ I’m feeling that your name carries Anglo-roots… scottish perhaps? I’m assuming it’s spelled with the same way someone could call your approach to buying me a drink ‘haughty’ yet very much welcome.”

Nicole raised an eyebrow down at her, “yep. Before my grandparents migrated to the East Coast, making me as North American purebred as they get… and I suppose my arrogance has always been there, but I’m not that arrogant to assume you’d appreciate my interest...” 

Waverly giggled, allowing her eyes to caress the nicely fitted outfit of her interested candidate who was asking the bartender to give them both a refill on her tab. She was hardly one to encourage more than minor flirting here and there but this, well, this was delicious and Waverly was feeling it on all cylinders. Metaphorically. 

The charmingly arrogant Nicole seemed to be attending the conference with a simple light blue blouse tucked into tight black dress pants. Her sleeves were rolled up her forearms, and her ass looked… well, Waverly was appreciative. Nicole must work out. 

“You look good too,” Nicole was handing her the whiskey and nursing a beer for herself as she smiled, “and yes I do workout.” 

_ Damn. How does she do that? _

Waverly leaned forward -- there was no point playing games when a hot stranger that pushed all of her buttons was worth some flirting. If one could call this flirting and not a ‘blatant come on.’ 

“Are you a mind reader, Haught?”

“Close, I read body language pretty well… and my colleagues call me Haught. I’d really prefer you call me Nicole...” Nicole smirked and leaned into her space, smelling like vanilla and something else Waverly wanted to inhale deeply. 

“You’re at a forensics conference and you read body language… FBI? Profiler?”

“You’re definitely as perceptive and smart as they say… close but not quite. Try again?”

Waverly leaned an inch closer and dropped her voice, “Hmm… well, you’re way too good looking and fit to be a lab coat.”

“You’re the prettiest girl in this place and you’re an established lab coat, Dr. Earp.” 

Cheesy but Waverly liked the flattery. She decided to loft some back. 

“Well Nicole Haught… you were definitely given an accurate name.”

Waverly saw the slackened jaw of her flirtatious guest and dared to reach down and gently touch their knuckles. When she looked back up, Nicole’s throat was swallowing again and her eyes were hooded. 

Waverly didn’t need to be an expert in reading body language to know desire when she saw it. She loved the thrill of being desired by someone she also felt was desirable. She was no stranger to being hit on, but rarely if ever could she recall a connection like this or wanting the attention to continue. 

Was it the high of the conference and her keynote address of applause that had her feeling daring and bold? Was it the whiskey giving her liquid courage? Or was it simply the fact that a gorgeously tall, redhead, breezily confident and literally hot stranger wanted her and she hadn’t gotten laid in a long while? 

“While not the most original your pickup lines are totally doing it for me,” Nicole murmured to her ear. “Would you… would like to get dinner tonight? Find out all the questions you want answers to?”

Waverly thought about the torture of a dinner, full of eye fucking and job pleasantries when they clearly both wanted something more urgent. 

“I mean, I’ve been in this attire all day,” Waverly said coyly, knowing it was her best skirt suit ensemble and her ass looked  _ great  _ with these heels. “Maybe you could accompany me to my room? I need to change first… something more comfortable...” 

//

“You okay?” Wynonna could see how hard Dolls was taking this new Captain news. And she was pretty pissed too… Dolls had ruffled some feathers to save their lives, sure, but he was the leader they all looked up to. Nedley had even earned her trust after a longer time than she gave Dolls, and she had grown up knowing Nedley through her dad. 

“Nedley says after the mission we can reassess if I’m due for a promotion,” Dolls sighed, “how can they do this to us Earp? We’ve been the best squad and we’ve tracked this fucking cult for over a year.”

Sighing, Wynonna hugged Dolls close. Both of them had a lot in common. They met in Academy and Wynonna never really got along with anybody -- being an Earp she was Black Badge legend and had a huge legacy to live up to. But Dolls never cut her slack or special attention because of her last name and Wynonna respected that about him. He had made her a better soldier in a way her family name could never, despite the fame. 

“I know Dolls,” she patted his shoulder and they sat in companionable silence. 

He sighed again, “anyways we just do what’s best for the mission and I’ll get over this shit by the weekend. Rumour is out blacksite in Tibet.” 

“Fuck at least it’s not Russia again.”

“Preach.” 

“Want me to change the subject?”

“Please.” 

“It’s Waverly’s birthday and she didn’t pick up any of my phone calls.” 

“Shit… she’s still mad at you huh?”

“Yeah,” Wynonna felt the anger coil in her gut. She had made a decision to protect Waverly and Waverly was still not ready to hear her out on it. It sucked. 

“She’ll come around, Wynonna.” 

“She could at least let me wish her a happy birthday! We would be drinking whiskey all night and laughing, dancing… it’s our tradition. Now she’s at some boring ass forensics conference and probably miserable and alone.”

//

“Oh my god you’re so good at that,” Waverly moaned, arching off the bed and into the naked body above her. 

_ Happy birthday to me! _

Nicole’s confidence was  _ definitely  _ not coming from a lack of experience and Waverly was feeling too spent to return the favour as she came for the third time in under an hour, her body utterly satisfied. Her loud moans are hushed in Nicole’s mouth and with a slower grind of hips and hand, Nicole let her come down from her high before leaning her weight back to make sure Waverly was okay. 

Waverly had thought her first time with a woman had been a sexual awakening -- and since then any and all bed partners and her own experience had shown her what she liked but this…  _ this _ . 

“Oh,” she smoothed her hands up Nicole’s shoulders and arms to her neck before combing into the softest red hair and smoothing what she had most definitely tangled. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Nicole said, kissing her again while slowly pulling her fingers out. She was weary that Waverly was probably tender -- their passion had included moments of furious rhythm and Waverly felt it in her vocal chords as much as her core. 

She was surprised as Nicole kissed softer, more languid kisses along her neck with a sweetness and aftercare that had her swooning before taking her mouth again. 

“You’re sweet,” Waverly whispered, tired but still wanting to kiss those lips. So soft and perfect as they had whispered dirty things in her ear and then almost made her cum just from the attention they gave her breasts. “Give me a moment and then… then I can--”

Nicole chuckled, cutting her off with one last kiss before rolling off of her body and stretching, “I really hope we see each other again… there are so many things I still want to do to you. So take your time...” 

Waverly whimpered, turning on her side to see that Nicole was not playing around, and surprised to find tender affection in her brown eyes. She was a lot more sober now and very much not regretting her slutty decision to have sex with a total stranger. 

“That was amazing,” Nicole continued, clearly also not regretting it either, and as she leaned in closer on her side she brushed some of Waverly’s hair back and then smiled gently like they were in on the same secret. 

“That was the best sex of my life,” Waverly found herself admitting, “I am  _ very  _ much okay with a repeat. Was that a body language thing too? If you’re not FBI, are you CIA? I hear they are masters at the art of seduction...”

Nicole raised a brow, “I’m kind of offended and also flattered at the same time… but nope, not CIA and I’ve never picked up a girl like that before. I literally went to introduce myself to thank you… but… well, I did not expect that kind of resolution.” 

“Thank me?” Waverly is confused and brings the hotel sheets up her chin, starting to feel a cool chill as her body recuperates. “And me either… the stranger danger thing I mean… no offense.” 

Nicole, perceptive as ever, brings her in for a body cuddle, warm and soft. Waverly felt inexplicably comfortable on her shoulder and nuzzled closer to a boob where she pressed a soft kiss on it’s slope and willfully allowed the intimacy. 

“Yeah,” Nicole was still brushing her hair. “You saved my life.” 

“Wait -- what?” Waverly furrowed her brow and looked up. “H-how?”

“A year back, I’m doing a mission... Our unit was sent out to protect a classified shipment in Shelterlands... we were attacked… I’m the only survivor.”

Waverly lifted her head from the shoulder in shock and instantly knew who Nicole was. She never got the name of the agent who survived, just the details. 

Cult of Bulshar had sent out an intelligence trap and Waverly had accidentally intercepted a code of their communication while trying to prove to her dad she was ready to be an agent. She had been unable to prevent the attack but hoped her interference had given enough time to warn the unit sent into the trap. Later she had found out two out of the unit made it back but one died from injury and the other survived. 

“You’re Black Badge?” The mystery was solved and so many confusing feelings started to whirlwind in Waverly’s mind. 

Glad that at least one person survived and the warning had served its purpose, sad because she had read the details on that massacre and knew whoever survived was definitely put through the ringer, and angry… angry because her interference was a big reason she was not currently working in Black Badge where she had been hoping to get a position in their intelligence department like every other Earp in her bloodline. Her father had made sure of that -- and the resentment she had at him and her sisters for cutting her out came full force back. 

But in Nicole’s eyes she saw a vulnerability at the confession and Waverly was glad she intervened. Even if daddy had kept her on the sidelines, Waverly had done what agents were supposed to do: saved someone before her dream was taken from her. 

“Oh,” Waverly reached forward, an inexplicable need to soothe what she saw in Nicole’s eyes, “I’m so sorry, Nicole. I wish I had communicated it faster...”

Nicole smiled, somewhat watery before she blinked and any hint of tears in her eyes disappeared. She rolled them over and Waverly found herself on her back again, legs intertwined. 

“If you had never cracked that code I’d be dead… you gave us a fighting chance. It sucks my unit didn’t make it… but I have a chance to avenge them now...”

Waverly understood. “The BBD is tracking Cult of Bulshar.”

Nicole nodded before she shyly looked to the side, “sorry, I didn’t mean to come on too strong. I’m moving to the city permanently with my new post in BBD, I looked you up and I heard you were going to be speaking so I needed to say hello…” 

“I’m very glad you said hello,” Waverly gently squeezed the ass she had admired a few hours earlier, giggling as Nicole playfully grinded into her, smiling into her kiss. 

“I’m very glad too… you are extraordinary, Doctor Waverly Earp… so smart and… thank you for saving my life.”

Waverly’s breath hitched, feeling validated really stung her heart -- she had truly felt cast aside and useless, so to hear her effort had actually done something… it made it all worth it. 

“You thanked me pretty well already,” Waverly joked shyly, her body arching into the pressure of Nicole’s thigh. She was feeling self-conscious in the way Nicole thought so highly of her… “and seriously all I did was share some information I came across… it's not that heroic. Not like you in the field.”

“Are you kidding? It was the most heroic… and I really did not expect you to be the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen,” Nicole moaned before increasing the pressure and speed of her grind, “so sexy… fuck... Waverly can I? Again?”

“Yes -- Oh god just like that… you’re so wet...” Waverly slid her hands up ribs, feeling the contour of obliques and muscles, and then gripped a defined back tightly, “can you -- can you come like this Nicole?”

“Yeah,” Nicole gasps near her ear, fixing Waverly’s leg around her hip for a better angle and sharply grinding a wet centre into Waverly, “oh fuck!”

//

“I thought that crap only happened in trashy romance novels,” Rosita was gasping behind her orange juice as Waverly recounted her evening in her hotel room. Rosita was a friend, sure, but also her appointed bodyguard and that meant telling her why Waverly had an overnight guest in her room. 

“It was so powerful,” Waverly recalled with a bright flush to her cheeks. “Like an out of body experience.” 

Nicole had lifted her up and taken her against the door first and it had been fabulous… with her skirt bunched up around her waist and the promise of long, sure fingers pausing before Nicole double-checked Waverly was giving verbal consent... then the way they both groaned when she started with one finger. 

After the door she had been let down on wobbly legs and undressed Nicole with vigour and need. Waverly found herself screaming during the second orgasm into her pillow because Nicole had rolled her over for a deeper angle and… God what a night. 

“Damn Waves,” Rosita clinked their juice glasses together, “didn’t know you had it in you… nice to see you going after what you want for a change. Also, happy birthday.” 

When they exchanged phone numbers to stay in touch, Nicole had whispered dirty things in her ear, ‘I want you to think about me using my mouth on you next… I know I’ll be thinking about it…’

“I miss her already and it was just sex,” Waverly groaned. 

“A porn plot more like it,” Rosita snickered. “So, you seeing her again?” 

“It gets even crazier… she’s BBD,” Waverly confessed out loud with a wince. 

“She’s BBD?” Rosita’s jaw dropped, “you said you would never date a BBD agent!”

“I know.”

“Does she know who  _ you  _ are?”

“She seems to?”

“You didn’t talk to her about it!?”

“We talked with our tongues mostly--” which was not totally true, but the other secret Nicole confided in her Waverly didn’t want to share with her friend. 

“Waverly! You turned down Champ Hardy the BBD golden boy, Perry Crofte -- hell even me when we first met! -- Roman Quinn AND Eliza Shapiro because they are all BBD agents! And we are all super hot too!”

Waverly looked up at Rosita tentatively. She had used that excuse a lot when younger and had meant it too. No one at BBD would take her seriously if she dated colleagues no matter how cute, fit, or appealing they were in uniform. 

“Yeah well I thought I would be working with you all there one day and… and you’re not still carrying a torch for me are you?”

“Not at all,” Rosita gave her a genuine smile and answer, “we’re just friends and no one ever blames you for not feeling the same… but girl, I’m just saying. You broke a lot of hearts at BBD. Champ still asks Wynonna about you… That creep computer guy Tucker still asks your dad if you’re single...” 

“I can’t explain it but… she’s different, Rosita,” Waverly groaned, knowing that if her fling with NIcole ever got out or if they continued seeing each other and it became...  _ something _ … then breaking her rule to never date in the agency was definitely going to ruffle some feathers and Wynonna was most definitely going to punch her. “Please don’t tell anyone.” 

“Not my news to share, promise… I mean good luck to this woman cuz Wynonna beat the shit out of Champ, remember? At the holiday party for the mistletoe kiss? And your dad, Waverly. Your dad! Willa! You are an Earp. You’re BBD royalty! She has to know that if she’s BBD! I mean, no offense but I was kind of relieved when you turned me down because you should have seen what Ward did to Perry when he found out about the flowers...”

Waverly rolled her eyes as Rosita shivered in fear. 

“Seriously?”

“What? You’re the youngest Earp. Anyone would be intimidated. I mean I’m literally your friend now and your bodyguard but you know your dad has me update him on your safety too… regularly. He’s scary.” 

Waverly totally knew that and she groaned. “I didn’t  _ know  _ she was Black Badge when I slept with her and… fuck. Fuck being an Earp sometimes, honestly.” 

It wouldn’t be so hard if her family had at least read her into Black Badge and not treated her like she was made of glass. She hadn’t answered any of their birthday texts or phone calls this year and they had no right to interfere in her life or love life. 

“So what’s her name? Mystery agent?”

“ _ Nicole _ is going to a blacksite for three months, Rosita, and she’s new to the BBD she said it’s her first post in the city… chances of her working with Wynonna or Willa or Daddy anytime soon are slim, I did the math! Until I know what comes from this…  _ hookup  _ I’d like to keep my family out of it.” 

“So, your latest fling conveniently goes away for three months at a blacksite meaning you guys had sex and then won’t communicate for three months?”

“We can still text and call… her phone is just going to be pinged to hide her location and I don’t know... I really like her so until my crazy family scares her off I am going to stay in touch.” 

“ _ Nicole _ , huh?” Rosita smirked, “well, she must be a total noob. I've never heard of any Nicoles... That poor girl, I hope she enjoys her last days!”

“Hello it’s my birthday, can you be a good friend slash bodyguard and let me go shopping now?” 

“Waverly you know as long as Cult of Bulshar has made a threat--”

“I know, Rosita, believe me I know. You can tell Daddy I know.” it comes out with a bitter harshness that kills the playful banter they had going on and Rosita sighed. 

Rosita had sympathy for her friend. She knew Waverly had her future seemingly taken away from her and she decided to drop the heavy topics and go back to something fluffier. 

“So shopping…”

//

Nicole needed a dose of courage before facing what she knew was going to be a hostile environment. Nedley warned her there was unease amongst the team at her addition. And she didn’t care to be disliked, but having a coordinated team that had each other’s backs was important for their mission so she needed to deal with it and she needed their trust. 

It was Monday morning and on the other side of the room were the top Black Badge Agents, the Purgatory Squad.

They were wheels up in twenty for the blacksite in Tibet, and she was about to be introduced to them. She was going to meet them without reading their files for her own chance to read their body language, and then read up on them later during the very long flight.

But for better or worse, she was stuck on this blacksite with them for the next three months and it was going to be a challenge on its own. 

Her phone vibrated and she glanced quickly at the text message she got from ‘Waverly’ whose name had been saved in her phone with a kissy emoji. 

_ ‘Have a great first day, I’ll be thinking about your mouth and you are allowed to think about mine too.’  _

Nicole gulped, a wave of desire hitting her hard. Waverly was… unexpected in all the best ways. Nicole had not been looking for sex but it seriously didn’t hurt to have some good memories for her three months seclusion. 

_ ‘I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it’ _ she texted back, smirking and biting her lip she added, ‘ _ or the way you say my name.’ _

“Nicole!” like a dose of cold water, hearing Captain Randy Nedley interrupt her had Nicole groan and reluctantly put her phone away in her pocket. She turned and saluted him, but he huffed and clasped her shoulder tightly. 

“You’re a captain now Haught, no need to salute me.” 

“You still owe me a beer Nedley,” she grinned before teasing him, “still wearing khakis I see?”

“Classic trouser. Still not buttoning up your jacket, huh? Shit, when did you get that star?”

She looked down and saw the black star next to her gold one. Black Badge awarded them for classified missions that tested soldiers. She had been in black ops for so long she had no clue how rare it was to get the black metallic star. She shrugged. 

“Lonnie would have gotten one too but he lost his head on that mission,” she said plainly, her professional tone cutting into the seriousness of the situation. “I’m not going to let you down Nedley, you are a tough act to follow but I am going to destroy Cult of Bulshar.”

“I know you will… and that team is a fine one, a little egotistic but finest group of soldiers. Come on,” he nodded gravely, aware of why Nicole was here again. They could catch up later, but now she was here to avenge her unit and that included Lonnie, one of the recruits Nedley had trained and recommended for black ops with Nicole. 

They entered the bullpen together and the chatter in the room died down instantly. 

Nedley stepped forward and Nicole felt every agent’s eye turn on her. There were nine agents selected for this squad and mission to head from headquarters to the blacksite: five field agents and four intel agents. Nicole was their Captain and lead for the next three months and pending mission status if it was needed to be extended or not, she would then become a permanent Captain in BBD field offices. 

She stood unflinching, shoulders straight for her posture. The agents were all in civilian attire for the flight over since no one was going out into the field, and the intel squad were easy to tell apart from posture. The field agents were borderline glaring, but she recognized the one asshole who had the balls to wear a cowboy hat and moustache like he was from the wild west. John Henry Holliday, brave man and good agent. They exchanged nods of recognition. 

Nicole had her black ops combat boots and pants on, but paired it with a long-sleeve black shirt that had a BBD crest. Her decorated navy blue jacket full of ranks, medals, stars, and ribbons thrown over. She didn’t really get a dress code memo and wasn’t about to show up in full formals, combat gear or attire on day one with a flight ahead, but she needed her team to have faith in her selection and the jacket showed it off well. 

“Team it is my pleasure to introduce your new Captain, Nicole Haught. One of the finest agents I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing... she has made the transition from our Black Operations division which is why her name is excluded from intel and not well known around here what with the secret part and all --” whispers filtered, largely from the intel agents in the corner with excitement and Nicole held back a smirk, “ -- and she has been hand-picked for this mission to fight the terrorism cell Cult of Bulshar. I know this mission is personal to us all, and Captain Haught’s unit is the reason we even have any of the intel we do. At a great price.”

The room is solemn again and Nicole clears her throat. She didn’t want to scare her team, she wanted to lead them and she could already tell the field agents were not happy with this change in leadership. 

“Hi everyone,” she offered a warm smile, “I just want to say that this unit -- all of you -- have truly made great progress against the Cult of Bulshar. They are an unpredictable and dangerous enemy that have a personal grudge against BBD… have killed many of our soldiers as well as civilians we have sworn to protect. The next three months will be the hardest months you have ever experienced in Black Badge and rest assured the only outcome acceptable of this mission is the one where Cult of Bulshar is eliminated. It is an honour to be Captain of your squad, I know I am new but… the mission comes first. Understood?”

A chorus of “yes captain” came around the room and Nicole noted the field agents seemed to be more reluctant. They were going to be tougher to win over than she initially thought. 

“We depart for our blacksite, the flight will be a long one.” 

After her introduction, she let the agents have their privacy and entered the plane first. It was a comfortable plane with room for her to stretch her legs and she reached for her phone to see if Waverly had texted back. 

‘ _ Nicole.’  _

Glad no one was around to see her blushing, Nicole kicked her feet up as the agents took their seats and flipped open the files of her team Nedley had passed along. 

The intel team consisted of Agent Jeremy Chetri… Agent Chrissy Nedley? Huh, Nedley must really trust her if his daughter was in this unit. Agent Jeannie Lucado, the intel lead, and last but not least Agent Gloria Valdez (the actual science doctor of intel). All incredibly qualified in their field but, when NIcole read Chrissy’s file she couldn’t help but compare her role to Waverly Earp… Waverly had much more experience and could bring a lot of value to this team. Why had Black Badge never recruited her after she saved the life of one of their own? 

Nicole blinked away the thought and turned to the field agents next. Team leader, Agent Xavier Dolls… great record, a fast tracker for promotions. Agent Eliza Shapiro, the best in combat… Agent Roman Quinn, another great record in the field… Agent John Henry Holliday, sharpshooter with insane aim, and Nicole remembered his sniper hits during their missions. These agents were all the best of the best. Nicole was impressed. She flipped to see the last agent and her eyes widened in shock as they took in the words and details. 

Agent Wynonna  _ Earp _ . 

Earp had the longest record -- having apparently been the agent who brought down the infamous biker gang The Revenants. Beyond that, her next of kin included three distinct facts that Nicole felt herself get a headache over.

Her father was Ward Earp, deputy director of BBD as in one of Nicole’s bosses. Her older sister was Willa Earp whose face Nicole remembered from the mission that earned her the gold star -- a very temperamental agent that had almost cost them all -- and Waverly. 

Waverly Earp. 

It wasn’t just the fact that Nicole felt Waverly should be included in this team for her expertise and suddenly was closer connected than she thought, or that now she unintentionally read facts about Waverly without her permission (apparently the young woman had just celebrated her birthday the same night Nicole had… well…), or that Waverly was the daughter of Ward Earp a man Nicole had met once (when he pinned a gold star to her jacket and thanked her for saving Willa’s life), or that Nicole was now acting Captain with Waverly’s sister Wynonna under her supervision…

It was all those things plus the fact that Waverly’s name was included with red notes Nedley made. 

After being valuable in helping resolve Shelterlands, BBD received targeted threats on Waverly Earp’s life. Waverly had a target on her back and was included in Cult of Bulshar files because she was considered a threat to them. 

She was not included on this team for her own safety, yet Nicole couldn’t comprehend how Waverly was ‘safe’ anywhere but in this mission. She was the best mind for this, and she was in more danger if kept at arm's length. 

Making the decision as an agent, Nicole picked up her phone and dialled the private line for the most senior BBD officer in charge as the plane took off, Director Richard Moody. 

  
  


//

“She’s my babygirl, Richard!” Ward yelled at his boss, angry and furious when the update on Cult of Bulshar mission change included the request to recruit Waverly Earp. 

“Captain Haught made the call and I agree with her, Ward.” 

“She’s hardly been captain one day! Waverly is not safe there, she is safest AWAY from there! They have a target on her back and her not being an agent is keeping her alive!” 

“Like it or not Ward this cult is the biggest terrorist threat we have ever faced -- it took out our most elite black ops squad and Captain Haught makes a fair point -- Waverly is the only agent who has ever successfully intercepted their communication!”

Ward flinched, “and they will make it their priority mission to eliminate her! With her conferences they don’t think she’s a threat, but if they can eliminate our most elite field agents my daughter stands NO CHANCE! And she is no agent, she's my daughter!” 

“I’m sorry Ward, but I’m with Captain Haught... Waverly Earp is our best asset to add to the intel team for this mission.” 

//

Waverly felt her phone buzz during her lunch hour. It was Nicole Haught, whom she had saved in her phone as just a fire emoji. She answered it quickly. 

“Nicole,” she crooned softly, putting down her half eaten sandwich in eager anticipation to hear Nicole’s voice. 

“So remember that time you found out I was a Black Badge agent?” came Nicole’s voice, and she sounded guilty. 

Waverly straightened up and tried not to sound disappointed, “you found out I’m an Earp huh… I was kind of hoping well… nevermind. I understand if you don’t want to see me anymore.” 

“You’re very smart Waverly, but this is the first and hopefully last time I will tell you that you are wrong,” Nicole said gently. “Of  _ course  _ I want to see you… I just hope you feel the same way after I tell you what I’m about to tell you…”

“W-what are you about to tell me?” Waverly was confused and nervous at the tone in Nicole’s voice. Why did Nicole sound like she expected Waverly to hate her?

“Well if we thought things were complicated before when we just thought you saved my life and I accidentally found out I met you on your birthday, I know I use the term ‘met’ loosely and also happy belated birthday…”

“Thanks,” Waverly said before an impatient, “out with it,  _ Nicole _ .” 

And as Nicole explained what she had done, pulling her into the blacksite team to join the intel team, and that Waverly would be her direct subordinate… 

Waverly felt that same feeling in the hotel room. She wasn’t angry, far from it… Nicole saw her as a valuable person for more than just her body. Nicole didn’t see her as an Earp, she saw her as more… and Waverly felt truly seen. 

“I’m not mad,” she said after Nicole confided everything. “Though holy shit, Captain huh?”

“Mhmm,” Nicole sounded amused, “you’re not mad at all?”

“I have been dreaming about my first BBD mission since I knew what BBD was and I was in diapers… I… I was cast aside after I intervened on Shelterlands.”

“I know. I read the file… I’m sorry. I know I’m putting you in danger but I made this decision as a Captain of the unit expected to defeat Cult of Bulshar. You have every right to decide for yourself to accept the recruitment offer or continue but for what it’s worth Waverly… you deserve to be here. If you had been on this team earlier maybe more people could have been saved.” 

And Waverly believes her too, which is one of the reasons she still doesn’t answer her father’s phone when he calls. 

“So I guess I’ll be seeing you soon and not in three months…”

Nicole sighed, “it’s going to be torture to see you and not…  _ see _ you.”

Waverly promises under her breath, “we will do that too.”

It’s not very professional and Waverly looks around the lab room knowing that she was alone but still wanting to make sure no one but Nicole heard her next words. 

“I’ve been thinking about you… all of you…”

She heard a soft moan and smirked proudly to herself. 

“Waverly Earp I am your captain…”

“Officially you’re not my captain  _ yet _ ,” Waverly bit her lip, “but I did like the way you steered my ship.” 

“That… that was awful,” Nicole chuckled. 

Waverly pouted. 

“But coming from you it’s hot as hell...”

Her pout became a smirk and Waverly closed her eyes, the phantom kisses from a few days ago still pulsing in her veins. 

“Seriously, Waverly, we can’t be unprofessional when you’re here… sorry…”

It was disappointing but Waverly understood. “Like I said… you’re not my captain yet,  _ Nicole _ .” 

There was a pause in their conversation and Waverly started to regret her words, if she had pushed too far, but then Nicole spoke with intent. Soft yet sure, playful yet assertive. 

“So baby, you like having someone steer you around huh? Tell me more… and be very specific.” 

So apparently Waverly had initiated phone sex while at work.

“Where to start? I loved the way you lifted me up and held me against that door… I loved the way you took care of me… no one has ever made me feel the way you feel… ”

“How did I make you feel?” came the desperate whisper. 

“Like I had no control over my body… like I would let you do anything you wanted and like it…”

“Jesus fuck,” she heard Nicole curse and Waverly grinned, loving the effect her words were having on the other woman. 

“Tell me what you would do to me if you were here…”

“I told you to think of my mouth on you,” Nicole whispered, “I’m at my desk right now… and I can picture laying you out on it… parting your thighs… kissing your hip...”

Waverly felt herself get impossibly wet and she felt dirty as her colleague Dr. Wu walked by and waved at her politely through the window. She returned it with her practiced smile and wave as she continued to listen to Nicole. 

“I’d like to take my time there… feel your hands pulling my hair because you need me to give you more and you’re desperate… the way you moan my name, Waverly, has been ringing in my ears… no one has made me feel the way you feel either…”

Waverly dared to ask, “and how do I make you feel?”

“I…” Nicole hesitated, “it’s a little intense considering…”

Waverly felt her heart leap in her chest, “intense? What could be more intense than what we just said?”

“Waverly we… we met at your conference and hooked up in your room hardly thirty minutes later… and I told you that you saved my life…”

“I know, Nicole, and I… I really hope you don’t think you owe me and that’s why--”

“No, god, no,” Nicole assured her gently. “I’m grateful and thankful you saved me but I don’t feel obligated… but it’s hard surviving while all your colleagues don’t. Until Saturday, until I met you… you finally make me feel alive again. I survived but I wasn’t really living.”

“Oh,” Waverly’s voice was small and she felt the blood rush to her ears, not sure how to feel. 

“Yeah… I know it’s a little too intense… we have this whole sexy playful thing going on.”

“I mean,” Waverly blinked out of her own emotion, “as long you promise it’s not a hero worship thing I am fine with helping you feel alive anytime you want.” 

Nicole let out a relieved chuckle, “I promise it’s not hero worship…”

Waverly giggled, “well, I think I have to get back to work Nicole. We can revisit this worship talk, with your head between my thighs.”

A groan was heard, “God you are going to be the death of me aren’t you Waverly Earp? You know I have never been with a fellow agent…”

“Me either,” Waverly assured her. 

“Waverly I… you’re going to be working under me so we can’t--”

“So I can’t be under you while I’m under you, yeah I know,” Waverly winced at her own lame joke. 

Nicole laughed and it sounded light, “yeah. We can manage three months of professional behaviour, we’ll be too busy kicking this terrorist cell’s ass. We’ll be fine.” 

‘Totally we are grown, professional women who can keep our hands to ourselves!”

“Yeah,” Nicole sounded confident and Waverly nodded. 

“So I’ll see you when I see you Nicole. I mean  _ Captain  _ Haught.” 

//

Waverly descended from the plane. The blacksite operation was in China, so it turned out that her lunch time phone sex with Nicole had actually been nighttime for the captain which made it even hotter somehow, knowing they had internationally flirted over timezones while she was documenting skull shapes and Nicole was thinking of her in another country. 

Nicole who was her boss now. Like an actual boss. Who she could  _ not  _ touch. 

The small jet plane landed right outside the remote facility of BBD’s blacksite, far off the grid. It meant Cult of Bulshar was planning its next terrorist attack here in China and Waverly was glad she was up to date on her languages and culture research. She gulped as the plane took off as soon as she was outside the metal doors, leaving her in the dark outside. There was a buzzing and then the doors opened to grant her access. 

She raised her chin and stepped inside the facility, heaving her large suitcase behind her since the wheel had broken. 

“Let me get that,” a familiar and welcoming voice greeted her and Nicole easily lifted her suitcase, offering a dimpled smile. “Hey.” 

Waverly let her take the suitcase without objection. She had lugged it over her very long journey already and she liked Nicole’s shy eyes as they took each other in. She appreciated the gesture. 

“Thanks um.. Hi,” she tucked some of her hair back behind her ear and looked up from her lashes shyly as if they hadn’t seen each other naked. 

“Um,” Nicole cleared her throat and the doors closed, leaving Waverly inside the blacksite. “You’ll get your stuff as soon as security goes over protocol and checks it, um, out.” 

“Okay,” Waverly’s grin grew the more Nicole was obviously flustered. “So?”

“Right um, Agent Earp,” Nicole stepped back and led the way inside the facility, “welcome to operation Tingri.” 

“Ohhh!” Waverly was excited now that she knew exactly where in China they were, “Tibet! How exciting.”

She blushed when Nicole raised a brow at her. “No one told you?”

“Um nope,” Waverly nervously fidgets with her fingers, “I guessed China from the duration but um… I was rushed out pretty quickly.” 

“Well let’s get you updated, first I’ll leave your bag with security… and here is your badge,” Nicole handed her a lanyard and Waverly watched as her effects were handed off to a lower level agent in security. “Now we go to the control room, introduce you to the rest of the team. I couldn’t reveal their names to you until you arrive on the site--”

“Obviously,” Waverly’s fingers caressed her name and photo on the ID ‘Agent Waverly Earp’ before she gleefully put it over her neck. 

“But I think courtesy indicates I tell you your sister is here.”

“Willa?” Waverly wonders out loud, “I doubt she would have passed the psych eval for this kind of mission…”

Nicole looked amused and shook her head, “other one.”

“Shit, Wynonna,” Waverly winced. She had been actively ignoring her whole family but Wynonna had called the most. “Well… can’t say I should be surprised, she’s a pretty good agent so…”

“Hey,” Nicole paused at the entrance to the control room, eyebrow raised as she stepped a little close to Waverly and gave off that same scent Waverly remembered from the bar. “They vetted the best of the best Black Badge has to offer… and that includes you.” 

Waverly blushed, “you really think that, don’t you?”

“I really do,” Nicole said, genuinely, “and I need you to know you earned the right to be here. More than you realise.” 

Waverly nodded, “alright Captain… time to face the music.” 

Nicole smiled and Waverly didn’t comment when her eyes strayed down to Waverly’s lips. 

“Um Nicole,” Waverly stuttered out, grasping her bicep before she could open the door handle. 

Nicole froze, curiously looking at the hand on her bicep.

Squeezing her bicep gently, Waverly dared to tell her, “before we have to be all professional um… god you look good in uniform.” 

Nicole’s cheeks tinged but her dimples and smile were wide from the comment and Waverly was glad she said it when Nicole leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I know.”

Waverly dropped her hand as Nicole winked at her and then opened the door to the bullpen. She smoothed her wrinkled coat from the flight and glanced around the room as the team bustled around. She could feel the energy of the mission and Waverly was thrilled to be here, to have earned to be here not because she was an Earp but because she was good. 

“Attention!” The noise instantly stopped. “ I want to introduce you to our newest addition to the intel team,” Nicole stepped forward and Waverly shivered at the commanding tone of her voice. It was firm without yelling, still soft while carrying authority. 

She closed her eyes and shook herself of her thoughts, ignoring the magnetic pull of Nicole’s body in combat boots, form-fitting tactical pants, and the Purgatory issued attire that were black with a bright blue stripe to indicate a captain where other agents had only black. 

“Waverly?” Wynonna’s shock was the first as she stepped forward, “What the fuck -- no!”

Waverly scowled at Wynonna, having expected as much but still annoyed. 

“Um, hey Waverly,” Chrissy waved from a laptop the same time Jeremy said, “Waves!”

“Hey guys,” Waverly smiled genuinely at them before turning to Wynonna and raising her eyebrows to tell her ‘seriously?’

“Haught she’s -- no! She cannot be here! My dad--”

“ _ Agent _ Waverly Earp’s addition to this team has been approved by Director Moody himself,” Nicole said, firmly. 

“Agent?!” Wynonna looked furious and Waverly was about to snap at her in front of everyone until Nicole addressed the squad. 

“Back to work... Agent Earp, I’ll brief you in my office to catch you up to speed.”

Nicole walked forward and Waverly followed her, ignoring Wynonna’s glaring eyes with her head held high as Nicole walked up some stairs to an elevated office and waited until Waverly was inside until she closed the door behind her. 

Nicole’s office had no blinds, meaning anyone could look up and see them through giant windows. Waverly sighed as she took a seat across the desk, watching Nicole lean back in her chair before giving her a soft smile. 

“Your dad was pretty pissed about this too,” Nicole offered playfully. 

“Yeah,” Waverly relaxed, “Cult of Bulshar threatened my life so they wanted me as far away from here as possible.” 

“If they’ve threatened your life I think it’s best you're closer to the action, to anticipate it especially considering you’re competent enough… they should have never sidelined you.”

Waverly crossed her legs as Nicole leaned forward with her arms on the desk. 

“I’ve been thinking…”

“Oh yeah?” Nicole asked, waiting for her to finish. 

“Last time we spoke…”

Nicole coughed, looking to the side as if the bullpen could hear their conversation as she lifted her arms from it like it was on fire, “it was really inappropriate of me to speak about the desk I--”

“Nicole not that,” Waverly said quickly, embarrassed as she looked at the desk and the image of what Nicole suggested flashed through her mind. They exchanged a heated glance, “though you know I definitely was not objecting.” 

Nicole bit her lip, “Waverly--”

“Captain Haught,” Waverly cut her off, eyes more serious now, “you mentioned me earning the right to be here more than I realised… what did you mean? I’m not just here for intel am I?”

Nicole paused and then nodded, “you are… god you are clever and perceptive. I find that insanely attractive.” 

“I know.” 

“And cocky too, apparently.” 

“Says you.” Waverly stood up and turned her back on Nicole, looking down into the bullpen and seeing that Wynonna was glaring up at them with her arms crossed. “So?”

She heard Nicole stand up and walk up next to her, smelling her pleasant vanilla scent. She kept her eyes on the bullpen. 

“You are the only person I trust here, the only Agent. I suspect--”

“There’s a mole,” Waverly whispered, catching on to Nicole’s train of thought. 

“A traitor. It’s something I have suspected before, it’s why Director Moody and Captain Nedley brought me in, to allow me to investigate as I lead. I asked for you to come for two reasons, two missions…”

Waverly caught Wynonna’s narrowed eyes and held them before turning away to face Nicole who had a very grave face as she held up a folder. 

“This is the same folder I’ve given every agent, it has your mission and briefing… all actionable intel… you’re here officially to study their communication pattern and work with the intel team. You’re a languages and culture expert, you have a doctorate and you will be great.”

“And unofficially?” Waverly asked as her finger gripped the folder. 

“Unofficially… you, Agent Earp,” Nicole raised her chin, “are a threat to our enemy. And therefore your presence is a chance for me -- us -- to lure out the traitor on our team. I need you to report directly to me and study your team the same way you study the Cult.”

Waverly tugged the folder from Nicole and nodded. 

“Wynonna?”

“She’s your protector so I doubt she is the traitor but… only you and me can be in on this. No one else, even if we know they are clean.”

Exhaling, Waverly nodded, “so I’m a double agent on my first day as an agent?”

“You’re just an agent,” Nicole grinned and walked her over to the door to open it. “Missions clear?”

“Clear,” Waverly said, promising her superior. If there was a traitor that meant they were all in danger. 

“I do one on one reports like this so we will chat when you’re scheduled for yours… and Waverly?”

“Yes?” Waverly lingered at the door as Nicole gripped the doorknob, aware that Nicole had used her first name. 

“You look beautiful.”

Waverly smiled as the door was gently closed behind her, before she sighed and went down to properly greet her team. 

//

“Waverly. Are you seriously going to ignore me?” Wynonna barged into her room and Waverly rolled her eyes. 

Everyone had their own private room and bathroom, but food and meals were prepared by the staff and taken at the blacksite’s cafeteria. After her briefing with Nicole, Waverly had met her intel team and then been allowed to shower in her room after her luggage was inventoried and checked by security. When she finally got to eat her dinner she chatted and caught up with Jeremy and Chrissy. 

“I’m trying,” she bristled at her sister, keeping her eyes on the folder Nicole gave her. 

Wynonna threw herself on Waverly’s bed. 

“You shouldn’t be here babygirl.” 

“That’s my choice not yours,” she shot back, “and you still can’t accept that so yes I am ignoring you.” 

“How were you even recruited? Daddy had you removed--”

“Director Moody himself, you heard Ni- Captain Haught,” Waverly blushed at almost letting her tongue slip to Nicole’s first name. 

“Ugh Captain Haught,” Wynonna rolled her eyes at the mention of their captain, “she’s a real stick in the mud.” 

“I think she’s impressive.” 

“So she’s a black ops hotshot with some medals so what? Dolls should be our captain,” Wynonna said. 

Forgetting she was supposed to be ignoring Wynonna, Waverly turned in the chair. 

“You should give her a chance, Wynonna. She’s our captain.” 

“Look this is your first mission,” Wynonna leaned up on her elbows, “so I get that you’re going to be a little starstruck but we can’t trust Captain Haught… she’s not one of us, Waverly. She was assigned last minute while we’ve been the ones leading this fight for the past few years.”

Waverly held her tongue even if she wanted to tell her sister exactly how Nicole got selected and why. She was on a mission and that mission required her to lay her opinions low. 

“Wynonna, I’m tired from my flight and I’m tired of being mad at you… can you let me sleep and we talk tomorrow? Like it or not I’m on the team now and it’s better we work together than you not let me work at all… and you and daddy need to chill. You're the one getting shot at, i just do research.” 

Wynonna scowled but finally relented by getting up. “Yet you’re the one they think is a real threat… whatever, fine but… you have to eat with me tomorrow, not the nerd squad.” 

“Hey! That’s my squad!”

“Yeah yeah,” Wynonna kissed her cheek and hugged her, “at least I can say happy birthday in person so… happy birthday babygirl.” 

Waverly melted into the hug, having missed her sister dearly even though she was mad. 

“Thanks… goodnight sis.” 

“Night,” Wynonna left her and Waverly yawned before getting up to brush her teeth. 

When she slipped under the covers, she noticed an unread message on her phone and blushed when she saw who it was from. 

_ ‘I’m still thinking of you on my desk…’ _

Waverly bit her lip and texted back in the darkness of her room, ‘ _ I’m thinking of how cold my bed is...’ _

_ ‘I’ll have them send you some bonus blankets?’ _

_ ‘Please…’ _

Nicole didn’t text her back and Waverly realised her sexting had led to bonus blankets which was awesome when the janitor softly knocked and dropped them off like it was a hotel and not a blacksite for an anti-terrorism unit in remote Tibet, but also not awesome. So she tried again. 

_ ‘I was trying to sext you about keeping me warm.’ _

_ ‘Oh? You know I like it when you’re specific…’ _

Waverly looked at the words and then closed her eyes, imaging Nicole in the sheets with her. And instead of texting her back, she called. 

//

“Morning captain,” Waverly said smoothly at the cafeteria coffee machine, pleased when Nicole spilled some coffee and cursed. 

“M-morning Agent uh, Earp.” 

Waverly smiled brightly at her red cheeks before spinning on her heel and walking back to where she was eating breakfast with a sleepy Wynonna. 

She had literally had phone sex with her captain last night. They had touched themselves and talked to each other about what it was and the thrill of nobody knowing what they were doing was as hot as the actual doing. 

“You’re chipper this morning,” Wynonna grumbled, taking the coffee Waverly had poured for her. “And the best. I take it back, you being here is the best thing ever, you make coffee the best.” 

“It’s from a machine, Wynonna,” Waverly rolled her eyes, “it’s my first official day. I don’t want to mess anything up.”

“Waverly,” Wynonna touched her arm, “I know we all kept you away from here and I still don’t think you being here is a good idea but… but you  _ are  _ smart and you know your shit. You definitely won’t mess anything up.” 

Waverly smiled and looked up when a flash of red caught her eye. She saw Nicole speaking with Agent Holliday and her heart fluttered. 

She berated herself. How had her foray into Black Badge felt like both having a secret crush in high school as well as a pornographic wet dream? How had she become a double single agent who had phone sex with a woman she was supposed to respect as her superior? How had this woman made her feel so safe and in control while making her lose control and all sense of rational thinking?

How had it only been a week since she met Nicole Haught and found herself in Tibet?

If she was rational she would stop her secret relationship with Nicole and focus on the mission, but she countered her mental debate with pointing out the timeline. 

If she hadn’t intervened and lost her chance to be an agent, Nicole would be dead. And if Nicole were dead she would have never approached her at the forensics conference. And if Nicole never approached her at the forensics conference or had been dead, then Waverly would have never been read in as an agent and Nicole would have never come to the conclusion Black Badge had a traitor and trusted her with the task. So really, her sexual dalliance with Nicole was basically a key ingredient and therefore until Nicole drew a boundary first, Waverly was going to continue her research in that sexual field. 

“Do you always think so loud?” Wynonna grumbled, chewing on her donut. 

  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well this part two is like 2 parts of it's own with 22k words  
> trigger warning: tucker the creepy fucker is in this chapter

“Nice view,” Eliza leaned over Waverly’s desk in the control room of the Tibetan blacksite, handing off a small, clear bag of evidence fragments from the field agents recent reconnaissance mission to an abandoned cult site. “You’re cute when you’re working, Earp.” 

The field agents were dirty with soot, decked out in their combat gear and probably hungry, but Eliza eyes held a different kind of hunger and Waverly shied away from it, uncomfortable. 

While Agent Eliza Shapiro had hit on her a few times in the past and Waverly had almost said yes once, ultimately she had stuck to her rule of not dating at BBD. Still, she wasn't offended Eliza was into her but the timing felt peculiar to her. Peculiar because of Nicole’s theory they had a traitor. 

“Flatterer,” she looked up from her computer with a raised eyebrow. 

Eliza winked, and Waverly snatched the bag from her fingers to examine its contents with a squint of her eyes. It was a powder, the kind of powder she suspected was made from bones (human bones) which had been found in other sites. Gross. 

“Fucking cult,” Waverly said under her breath, a sadness as she realised this was what they did: crushed the bones of their enemies and left it for them to find. So far all the bone fragments had been genetically matched to BBD agents. 

“We’ll get them… I actually think Haught is somewhat competent,” Eliza surprised her by saying, eyes glancing back over her own shoulder to where their captain was talking to Agent Holliday, having finished her one on one with him. 

“Yeah I think so too,” Waverly said fondly, turning her gaze back to Eliza. Nicole looked really hot in her very tight, long-sleeve BBD zipper shirt. It hugged her in all the right places and Waverly briefly wondered why she couldn’t put that damn vest back on or at least cover up her distracting body a little? It was distracting. 

Oh right because Nicole had the heating turned up in the control room so Waverly wasn’t so cold all the time… that’s why. Waverly blushed. She had mentioned it during one of their  _ nightly _ calls which made the gesture not one of a kind captain, but one of the woman who knew what she sounded like moaning as she came. 

_ Back to the Cult! _ Waverly blinked away that line of thinking. 

“So Earp, you still sticking to your no BBD dating rule because you know, you’re stuck in a government blacksite with me for the next two months and you’re  _ definitely  _ the best looking agent around here... ” 

“Eliza…”

“Waverly,” Eliza leaned closer still, “dating an agent can work out… they understand your work, they get when you need to cancel dinner to save lives… and if you’re not looking to date I am fine with a mutually beneficial relationship too. This shit can be stressful as hell… letting some stress out might help your brain if anything...” 

Well, that took a turn. 

“Sorry Eliza… just here for the mission,” Waverly let her down gently, a blush furiously colouring her cheeks from the suggestion (In her mind, Nicole was part of the mission so… she wasn’t lying per se). “Jeremy and I will take a look.” 

Eliza did make excellent points -- it was stressful at times -- but Waverly couldn’t imagine dating or being with someone let alone an agent that wasn’t Nicole Haught now that she had a taste. And they were both destressing together, as it were. 

“Alright well, can’t blame a woman for trying,” Agent Shapiro winked but didn’t sound dejected so much as amused, “besides even though I could kick her ass, I don’t need Wynonna trying to punch me anyways. Your loss.” 

Waverly watched her walk away and sighed to herself. She had to be careful, Eliza may be using their past flirtations as an excuse to come over and try to spy on her work. Eliza could very well be the traitor… maybe she should have flirted back? She shook her head, no that would be out of character for her and suspicious. She had to maintain the ‘Waverly’ that they all knew from trainee days: the one who was into her languages and culture and forensics and refused to date colleagues out of principle. 

They didn’t need to know she was both spying on them and having super hot and borderline filthy phone sex with --

“Agent Earp,” Nicole was looming over her now, where Eliza had been moments before, nose down at a dossier in her hands as she spoke firmly, “You were supposed to be in my office five minutes ago after Agent Holliday. All good with the evidence?”

Waverly blinked and realised she was late for her one on one with Nicole, a first for her. “Oh so sorry uh, captain let me just log this evidence with Jeremy…”

Nicole looked up and nodded, a kind and understanding smile on her lips. “Course. Good work agent.” 

Sheepishly, Waverly stood up and quickly handed what Eliza had given her to Jeremy. She met Nicole seconds later at the base of the stairs which led up to her office, eyes trying their best not to ogle a very fit ass. 

Nicole closed the door behind her and spoke first, “ _ so _ , is flirting with agents part of your status update?”

Waverly glanced up, watching Nicole walk around the table. When Nicole sat across from her, she pointedly raised an eyebrow while handing over some papers for show, knowing that at the very least Wynonna was watching them like a hawk from downstairs (and probably the mole too), so they had to show they were doing the same report Nicole did with all agents. 

“Are you jealous?” She teased, watching Nicole’s stiff upper lip clench. 

Nicole didn’t deny it, and Waverly loved that a little too much. Her heart fluttered. 

The captain cleared her throat, taking the papers, “About the evidence --”

“Hold on  _ Captain _ ,” Waverly kept her eyes down on her own stack of pretending-to-read papers and flipped a page without looking up at Nicole, “if you  _ must  _ know both Agents Quinn and Shapiro have tried to court me in the past.” 

“Right well,” Nicole flipped another page, fidgeting, and Waverly could hear the slightest of tremors in her voice, “I have no right to --”

“I'm not interested in either of them, never have been… I had a rule to never date in BBD and then, well, you came along so…”

“Oh we’re dating now?” Nicole leaned back and had a smirk on her face now instead of her ire. 

Waverly accidentally caught the pleased look in brown eyes before looking back down at her papers. 

The captain’s voice sounds looser and Waverly could read between the lines, even if they had only talked two frequencies since she arrived (sexualy charged phone callsl or professional updates), they had not discussed the in-between and they weren’t about to. It never really seemed relevant considering. 

But if Nicole was jealous and Waverly was happy about it, and if Waverly brought up the term ‘dating’ and Nicole was seemingly happy about it… they were definitely going to need to air what exactly they were doing with each other at some point. 

“Shut up Nicole,” It’s said with no maliciousness, just playful annoyance. “Also for the  _ record _ , they could be using flirtatious behaviour to ascertain what I do or do not know, either one could be the mole… I’m not letting my guard down.” 

“Of course,” Nicole was serious again, but Waverly hated the smug twinkle in her eyes from the knowledge that she was special enough to break Waverly’s no BBD rule (hated that she loved it). “Never thought you were... Anyone else here making eyes at you I should know about?”

“Other than my captain? No. I almost thought that Janitor Jett whats-his-name was but, well, he’s obviously gay from his incredibly awakrd flirting with Jeremy so… he just really wanted to know my skincare routine.” 

“Ah.” Nicole’s amused and her dimples are showing again. 

“Anyways,” Waverly changes track back to mission, “I have an idea I wanted to run by you... What if you can use your body language skills and we can set up a trap for the mole?”

“A trap?” Nicole looks intrigued, “go on.”

/

Wynonna watched as Captain Haught and Waverly went over the report Waverly had put together. They were in deep conversation in the captain’s office. 

She scowled, not yet comfortable with the danger of Waverly’s appearance. Waverly was too smart for her own good, and Wynonna was suspecting someone in the facility was leaking information to BBD, so Waverly was not safe here.

She pursed her lips at the way Waverly eagerly chatted a mile a minute to their attentive captain. Of course Waverly had a lot to share and it was nice to see her in her element, but the older sister in her was determined to protect first and trust later. 

Haught was doing everything by the book, but Wynonna was going to die before anything happened to her sister. The Cult of Bulshar found Waverly to be their biggest threat and they were always two steps ahead. 

“Captain takes extra time with Waverly doesn’t she?” Wynonna poked Doc for his own opinion. He was observant too, and his instincts had saved their asses a lot. Their own sessions with the captain were always fifteen minutes, tops, but Waverly’s tended to be double that. 

“Your sister is very detailed,” Agent Holliday kicked his legs up onto the desk and used his fingers to comb at his moustache. “She explained vegan panna cotta to me yesterday for a while. Sounded delicious. I gather she’s as detailed if not more in her reports whereas you recommended we get donuts in yours.” 

Wynonna hummed, but she still felt like there was something more to the way Nicole Haught listened to Waverly. There was more interest in what Waverly had to say than when she was communicating with Jeremy about intel or any other agent. Haught watched Waverly, watched her in a way she didn’t watch other agents. 

Wynonna couldn’t explain it, but no one else seemed to pick up on it so she kept it to herself. 

“Hey Shapiro!” Wynonna blinked away her fear of Waverly’s safety and turned her eyes to another thorn in her side. “Stop hitting on my baby sister.”

Eliza rolled her eyes, “hey! I was  _ not  _ hitting on her.”

“You basically told her she’s hot and three months in this dungeon with you should make her reconsider her no BBD rule,” Quinn snickered from his spot, throwing her under the bus to Wynonna. “You offered to relieve her stress!”

Eliza narrowed her eyes at him, “I’ve seen you checking her out too, Quinn!”

“She’s hot --” his cheeks coloured. 

“Hey!” Wynonna pointed a finger at Shapiro and then at Quinn, “you fuckwads keep it professional or I won’t, got it?”

They had the decency to nod at least, but Wynonna had to stay in character. She didn’t want either of them knowing she suspected their advances to her sister were due to them possibly working for Cult of Bulshar. For Waverly’s safety, she wasn’t willing to trust BBD at the moment -- and that especially included the very Captain who had convinced Director Moody to have Waverly read into this mission and recruited. 

The only agents she  _ did  _ trust were Dolls and Doc, her double-D’s. Maybe Chetri because he was too awkward to be a double agent. 

“Hey you guys want to take lunch?” She offered them, casual as ever. They shrugged and followed her while Shapiro and Quinn hit the showers, bantering back and forth.

Turning one last glance up to the captain’s office to see Waverly still chatting animatedly with her hands in excitement over whatever research she was updating the captain on, and Haught very seriously listening and even  _ smiling _ like she was Waverly’s friend, Wynonna determinedly led the boys to the cafeteria. 

/

“That’s…” Nicole swallowed, “that’s an  _ insane  _ plan Waverly and…”

“Yeah? You’re right it wouldn’t work--”

“No, no,” Nicole assured her, “it absolutely would work. But I have to be honest with you, I’m running an op of my own and… I can’t tell you the details. I want to, but I can’t.” 

“Oh,” Waverly whispered, “oh, well, that’s okay--”

“Your plan will make mine work. I’ts, well, it’s clever.” 

Waverly looked up, hopeful eyes, “really?”

“Of course your mind is brilliant and,” Nicole struggled, “fuck, look, I promise when the time is right I will tell you everything. I want to, so bad, but you’re the only agent I really trust in here. I can’t afford to mess up on my side.” 

“Nicole, it’s okay,” Waverly assured her back, “you don’t owe me anything, remember? I am reporting to you and I have a mission -- two missions. I also really believe in you… you’re super smart too. I can see why you were picked to be captain.” 

“Really?” Nicole looked shy now, “you sure you don’t mind?”

Waverly shook her head.

“I know we have been…  _ talking  _ a lot,” Waverly held her eyes now, her body warm and nervous. 

“Right.  _ Talking _ .” Nicole leaned slightly forward and her voice held a double meaning. 

Waverly gave her a glare, “hello, trying to be serious here. Whatever we are doing -- it’s special and just between us. Personally I think it helps us be a great team too… so… yeah… what was I saying?”

“I think you were basically telling me that it’s okay I’m your captain and you’re my agent which means we have professional lines we can’t cross, and that it’s also okay that we  _ talk _ because it’s built up our trust and made us effective… and what your body is telling me is you definitely can’t wait for later tonight and yes, that’s a relief.” Nicole looked thrilled and she sounded amused, but Waverly was glad they were on the same page. 

She stood up to leave, palms sweaty as Nicole’s eyes not-so-subtly admired her. “I should go.”

“Right.” 

Just as she was leaving the office, Nicole gently assured her one last time with a private whisper. 

“I trust you as an agent Waverly but I also trust you with me.”

/

“I think we have a mole in BBD,” Wynonna said under her breath a few minutes into their lunch. 

Dolls raised his brow and caught on immediately, “I’ve been thinking the same… who are you thinking?”

“I think it’s Lucado,” Doc whispered. 

“Lucado? Why?” Wynonna reached for her coffee and sipped. 

“She’s awfully observant of Jeremy and Waverly’s documents. And she takes a lot of bathroom breaks.” 

“Huh,” Dolls considered out loud, “I thought it might be Haught but she's running a tight operation with us. Clean. Too by the book to be a mole.” 

“She gives Waverly special attention,” Wynonna voiced her disdain over the matter. 

“Like it or not, Waverly was a great addition to the team,” Dolls reluctantly said, “and we all know Waverly is detailed.”

“Whatever,” Wynonna rolled her eyes and whispered, “point is we likely have a traitor… it could be the BBD cook they hired us, Shorty.”

They all glanced over to where the cook ‘Shorty’ was making preparations for the agents dinner, a scowl on his face. 

“You lost your damn mind Earp? He’s the cook,” Dolls teased her. “And a good one. That lady in Russia gave us that really disgusting, cold --” 

“I’m just saying,” Wynonna punched his shoulder, “Shorty has that look in his eyes I saw when I was undercover with the Revenants. Like he knows more than he lets on. Why are there so many low-level BBD agents in this facility, huh? The Janitor… the cook… the security guards…”

“Every blacksite has them,” Holliday reminded her but seemed to agree from the tone of his voice, “I suppose we can’t assume the mole is in the squad. It could be one of them.” 

“That Jett guy asks too many questions about my skincare routine,” Dolls mumbled. “And he was getting close to Chetri.” 

“See?” Wynonna was happy they noticed what she was noticing. “Something is not quite right here… also what if there is more than one mole?”

/

Nicole closed her eyes in irritation, unable to find sleep as she tossed and turned. It had been  _ over a month  _ since Waverly arrived and while they had crossed the line a few times with night messages and whispers in the dark… it was tempting to do it again, to relieve some stress. 

Reasoning that Waverly  _ had  _ given her a clear invitation, she grabbed her phone and clicked on Waverly’s name, listening to it hardly ring once before a voice was answering, “hey you… I was just about to text you.”

“Oh?” Nicole gently cleared her throat, “thinking about me?”

“Of course,” Waverly said back, flirtatious. “Hoping you would call…”

Nicole smiled, picturing Waverly in bed, wet and thinking about her. “What were you thinking about?”

They had an unwritten rule or understanding that when they did this it was purely sexual, they kept any and all work away and for the day. 

“How nice you smell, how silky smooth your hair is when I pull you in for a deeper kiss… how soft your hands are when you’re fucking me hard…”

Nicole inhaled sharply, “oh yeah?”

“Yeah…  _ Nicole _ ,” Waverly purred her name. “I love that you’re the boss all day and get to be mine at night like this… don’t make me wait so long next time, hmm?”

“I won’t,” Nicole promised, her own fingers lightly caressing her lower abdomen. “Are you wet for me baby?”

“Very much so.”

Nicole sighed, silently thanking a god she didn’t really believe in for  _ this _ . 

“Can you play with your nipples a bit? Tease yourself?”

Waverly gasped and Nicole pictured it, the arch of her neck and pleasured look on her face. 

“Oh I’m so sensitive… Can I go inside? I’ve been teased enough.”

“I know… say my name when you put your fingers inside… let me hear you…”

“Oh  _ Nicole _ , fuck.”

“Baby… you want me to keep talking?” It was rhetorical, she knew Waverly was very much into the talking and whispers. Had known since their first (second) time in her hotel room, read her body’s responses to get an idea of what she liked.

It was new for Nicole too, she had known a few girls in her time who liked dirty talk but with Waverly it was less filthy and somehow infinitely sexier. A mind like Waverly’s needed stimulation to enhance her orgasm and Nicole wanted to be the one to provide it… the  _ only  _ one. She felt an almost possessive and protective need to give Waverly everything she desired in a way she had never felt for anyone.

Their connection had started off sexually, but there was a deeper understanding there she couldn't describe. Something profound. 

“Keep talking…” Waverly begged her. 

“What do you want me to say?”

“Tell me what you think of me…”

Nicole entered herself then, joining Waverly in the moment. She closed her eyes at the sensation and pictured images of Waverly she had been clinging to and letting her know. 

“You had that cute blazer on the other day, twirling your hair over your computer… I watched you from my office, watched your intel presentation… god baby you’re so ambitious and smart… and it makes you even sexier than you already are. Your body is…  _ perfect _ .”

Waverly was gasping, trying to stifle her moans. 

Nicole pushed on, rolling her own hips up into her hand, “but I also thought about you in my shower, imagined you in there with me… hot water on our bodies while I took you up against the tiles…”

“Oh god…”

“I could feel your heels digging into my back, your breasts arching into mine…”

“Nicole, yes… don’t stop…”

“Mhmmm… you want to cum for me Waverly? Are you close? I’m close, baby, listening to you is so hot… it’s so hot you get turned on by my voice baby.”

“I’m gonna--” Waverly let out a soft, high pitched moan. Nicole gasped as her body reacted to it, her own climax crashing at the same time. 

“Fuck,” she removed her fingers and wiped them on her pajams bottoms, “you good?”

“Yeah,” Waverly said, her breaths still catching up, “you?”

“Better than,” Nicole smirked, “Just when I think we reach peak hotness we find a way to top it.”

Waverly responded with a throaty, satisfied giggle and goodnight and Nicole was able to sleep well. 

In the morning when she gets her coffee, she keeps her cool without spilling it when Waverly greets her a good morning -- as if they hadn’t gotten off thinking about each other. 

That is until Waverly says, “gosh is this coffee just hotter today? Think it’s peak hotness?” 

Nicole curses at the spilled liquid as Waverly heads off to eat her breakfast. 

She was doomed. 

//

//

  
  


The weeks were bustling with chatter to dissect, and yet slow and tense as they passed. They had gotten word Cult of Bulshar was planning a new series of bombings in Tibet which was why they were here, but Waverly was focuing on cracking the code with Jeremy while Valdez, Chrissy, and Lucado complied a presentation for the field agents to be kept up to speed. 

They were going a little stir crazy with nothing to do and Nicole knew there was only so much training and practice shooting they could do. The waiting part in Black ops had always been the hardest. 

“Captain, Agent Earp -- the nice one, not the sarcastic one -- she identified the substance from the abandoned cult site as crushed human remains, same as the others. Powdered bone, if you will.”

“As we suspected.” 

“Yes. Agent Chetri and I have concluded that the kind of technology needed to turn bone into dust --”

“Dr. Valdez,” Nicole eyed the nervous woman across from her, “you’ve studied every piece of scientific data we have collected. Including Shelterlands… there was powdered bone found there as well… this is not new intel...”

“Yes, but we genetically matched the bone found here to… another human we suspect was black ops BBD.” Dr. Valdez nervously fixed her glasses. 

It was like the Cult of Bulshar was taunting them -- specifically her -- by scattering the DNA of her deceased unit and reminding her they were steps ahead and literally crushing their enemy. 

The message was clear and she was tired of it. It was time to put Waverly’s idea into motion if this was headed where she thought it was. 

“To who,  _ Agent  _ Valdez?” Nicole had a gut feeling it was someone she knew personally. Very personally. 

Dr. Gloria Valdez and Dr. Waverly Earp were the only intel agents with the double title, and Nicole found herself switching between titles for both women. For Waverly it was a bit of a sexy game, but for Valdez it was to remind her when she needed to be a doctor and when she needed to be an agent. 

“To Agent Lonnie Downing.” 

Nicole tensed.  _ Lonnie _ . 

Lonnie who she knew from day one at Academy that was sweet on the agency librarian, Lonnie whose two small kids were now fatherless and that same sweet librarian, Lory, was now a widowed single mother because Cult of Bulshar killed him. That Lonnie. Her friend who died in the hospital while she survived. 

“I see.”

“Captain? Did you know him? He has a sealed record in the database like the other--”

“Yes, Agent Valdez. I knew him. Great work, I’m calling an emergency meeting for the squad. This changes things.”

Dr. Valdez pushed her glasses up her nose, looking proud from the compliment, and nodded before leaving the office. 

Nicole debated the hand she was dealt. Was it time for the next phase of her operation? It was earlier than intended. Three months were not yet up, only two and a half. 

Waverly was very detailed in her observations of the squad for a mole, and had even found a radio frequency that was enabled at 0300 hours on the dot every third day for five minutes. They had discovered the time and frequency pattern of the traitor’s communication, but still had no concrete or conclusive insight into who the traitor was. The messages were sent with a robotic voice so they couldn’t match whose voice it was. 

Waverly’s plan was to make the mole panic and be forced to use their voice, thus catching them red-handed. 

Making her decision to push their buttons and use this revelation of Lonnie to do so. This was war and she would leave nothing to chance. 

“Attention team!” Nicole descended the stairs and called out to the control room. 

Everyone stopped and stood up from their tasks. She walked forwards and found Waverly’s eyes before clearing her throat pointedly. 

The throat clearing was her signal for when she was going to go ahead with Waverly’s plan. Waverly adjusted crossing her arms, the physical response they had decided on meaning she was ready for Nicole to proceed. 

It was on. 

Nicole addressed the room, “Dr. Valdez and the intel team have connected the substance brought back from the reconnaissance mission to be the DNA of BBD Black Ops Agent Lonnie Downing.” 

Everyone knew the substance was bone, but the identity of who changed things. 

“What?” Agent Dolls looked confused, “a BBD agent was killed  _ here  _ in Tibet?”

“No,” Nicole told him. “Do you know why I was hand picked for this unit Agent Dolls?”

He shrugged and Nicole knew it was the shrug of a man who expected to be in her shoes and still seemed bitter about it. She didn’t care about that right now though, and she looked around the room. 

“Anyone know?”

“Because you were black ops and stuff?” Agent Chetri was the one who spoke up, shyly in the room. 

Nicole smiled softly at him. “Yes Agent Chetri, and also no…”

She saw the field agents roll their eyes (like every time her time in ‘Black Ops’ was mentioned), except for Agent Holliday who looked at her with some more respect, and she made her play. 

“I was six years old when my entire family was slaughtered in the Garden attack.”

The eye rolls stopped and it was so quiet Nicole could hear a pin drop. She could tell even Waverly was surprised and Nicole knew why -- while Waverly was the only person in the room who knew of Shelterlands, she had never known about the Garden. 

The Garden was the Cult’s first attack, bombing major cities in a timed attack around the world. 

“My parents were just out buying groceries and left me with the neighbour. But, I’m just one of many victims who lost their family in those bombings, the bombings that marked Cult of Bulshar’s terrorist debut… BBD recruited me from the police academy to train with them. I’ve been fighting this  _ fucking  _ cult my whole life, and the fight took its toll last year during Operation Shelterlands. Twenty seven Black Ops BBD agents were lured into a trap by the Cult of Bulshar. We had been tracking them for over three years… we got names, we intercepted chatter… we were getting  _ so  _ close…”

Nicole exhaled a breath before continuing. 

“Operation Shelterlands was supposed to be a simple mission: secure a shipment of explosives Cult of Bulshar was making... Little did we know it was a trap that we were lured into and right in front of my eyes twenty-five of my comrades were killed. I heard their screams.”

“Shit,” Agent Chrissy Nedley wheezed, riveted by Nicole’s story before she realised her voice had broken the tension, “s-sorry.” 

“It’s okay, Agent Nedley, it’s a lot… Agent Waverly Earp --” Nicole pointed haphazardly with her chin to where Waverly was standing, “an unknown trainee agent working with intel remotely noticed an irregularity in our communication while we were enroute to our missions. She reported it back right before the attack, and it gave me two seconds to take cover and those two seconds are why I am alive today. Agent Lonnie Downing and I survived the bombs, but he died from internal bleeding at the hospital...”

Waverly looked nervous and Nicole sucked in her lip. She was a soldier, but her feelings for Waverly were definitely going to make this part of the plan  _ really  _ fucking hard. 

“I know some of you have been questioning why we brought on Agent Earp last minute to this mission when the rest of you had been vetted weeks prior, and it was because the cult considered her a priority threat to their operation. She cracked their code and, well, saved my life… isn’t that right, Agent Earp?” 

Waverly folded into herself as eyes turned to her as she smiled in nervous energy, “j-just uh, doing my job…captain.”

Agent Holliday whistled, “damn you Earps really are something.”

Nicole was about to speak again, or would have if Agent Chetri didn’t beat her to it. 

“So if Agent Downing died in a cult attack in another part of the world, why were his remains at a cult site here in Tibet?”

Waverly gave her the go-ahead, recrossing her arms again. Nicole spun on her heel and turned to him. 

“ _ Excellent _ question Agent Chetri,” Nicole encouraged him, “it’s simple. They know we’re here in Tibet. They have been leaving the dusted remains of my colleagues all over the world meaning they are so fucking  _ sick  _ minded they not only killed them but took their bones to do so -- to taunt me, taunt BBD… make us fear them into thinking they can do the same to us no matter where we are. Agent Downing was my  _ friend  _ and comrade in arms for over a  _ decade _ , I was at his wedding and I was there when his kids were born… and he died a great soldier on home soil in BBD  _ custody _ . This means the Cult of Bulshar infiltrated BBD to get a sample of his bones so they could leave them here as a message to us… this means someone in this room gave up our location. This means the intel my unit was given in Shelterlands was fed by the same mole.”

The temperature of the room dropped. 

“You’re saying we have double agents in BBD?” Lucado whispered in shock, sounding outraged, “wait -- so you were brought in to investigate  _ us _ ?”

“Correct.” Nicole hardened her gaze at Lucado, “and now I know who the traitor is in the first place…”

Reading the body language of the room, Nicole had her suspicions confirmed. 

“Agent Waverly Earp.”

“What?” Waverly feigned surprise at the accusation, “No I--”

“How were you able to intercept their communication then? Come out the hero in the story… you didn’t think I would survive did you? Tell me, Earp. If you were considered a threat why have you never been killed?”

Nicole was a great actress, eyes hard and cold. Waverly took a step back, “Captain I-I didn’t! I’m an Earp! They never killed me because BBD cast me aside!”

“There it is,” Nicole pressed on her, “anger at the BBD for not recognizing you.” 

“You’re joking,” Wynonna stopped forward between Haught and her sister, “you must be  _ fucking _ joking Haught!” 

“Save it Wynonna and step aside. Security, Detain Agent Waverly Earp.  _ Now _ . Agent Lucado has seniority, report to her while I interrogate our traitor.” 

Two lower level security agents stepped forward and cuffed Waverly before leading her away, and Wynonna yelled while Dolls and Doc held her back. Nicole warned her she would be detained too if she didn’t shut up before following Waverly to the detainment room. 

It was all part of Waverly’s plan, the traitor would be forced to change their communication pattern now that they knew BBD suspected they existed, and they would think they had time to do so while Nicole was preoccupied in thinking Waverly was the mole. 

Bait was set, now it was time for the trap. 

/

Waverly could hear Wynonna still screaming through the metal doors of her detainment room and she winced. Even though it was all part of the plan -- her plan -- it still sucked when all the agents turned accusatory eyes on her and detained her with only her sister standing up to her. The worst had been seeing Chrissy and Jeremy look scared and confused. 

She had anticipated Wynonna to make a scene, actually she had counted on it -- her tantrum would give the mole the time to go and contact the cult, thinking they were in the clear. 

“Fuck you Haught! You’re making a huge fucking mistake!”

The doors opened noisily for Wynonna’s yell to carry over, and Waverly turned gentle and apologetic eyes on Nicole as she entered the private detainment room. With a buzz the doors closed and they were alone. 

“Are you okay?” Waverly asked, concerned, “I know Wynonna is a handful…”

“Are  _ you  _ okay?” Nicole asked back instead, her voice soft and guilty, “that was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do… and I’ve done some pretty hard shit in my time.” 

A hand was gently cupping her cheek, and it was the first skin on skin touch in months and Waverly’s heart skipped a beat. 

“Yeah I’m -- I’m fine! All part of the plan, right?” Waverly assured her before shivering a little. “It’s um, kind of cold in here though...” 

Nicole’s face lightened up, kneeling down next to her as she whispered gently almost rambling, “yeah sorry it is a detainment room… cold is part of interrogation… but I snuck you a blanket in here earlier so…it’s under the bed… one sec...”

Waverly had blushed from Nicole’s proximity and gesture, and watched as Nicole reached under the prison like cot to pull out a box. There was radio equipment and a fluffy warm blanket waiting for her. 

“So.” 

“So,” Nicole nodded, getting straight to business, “as the expert in reading body language I told no one to interfere in my interrogation… you ready?”

“Ready.” 

Nicole opened up the laptop and sat next to Waverly on the cot. Waverly was wrapping the blanket around her when, to her surprise, Nicole gently helped her. It wasn’t the warmest, but it was thoughtful. 

_ She smells so good _ . 

Priorities Waverly, she snapped herself out of that train of thought. While her and Nicole had a very sexully charged ‘relationship’, they still had a mission that needed them and right now time was of the essence.

“Okay, so, I’ll review the footage while you set up the radio…” Nicole started the laptop, logging in with her security clearance before passing the radio off to Waverly. She saw Waverly’s questioning brows and blushed, “I suspect it’s Quinn.”

“Quinn?” Waverly was surprised. Her money had kind of been on Lucado. “Not Lucado?”

“Not Lucado… right before I said your name his breath hitched. It won't show up on camera but I saw it… the subtle dip of his shoulders...” 

The security footage had recorded Nicole’s earlier speech and accusation, and Waverly watched as Nicole studied the body language of her team with absolute focus. 

“Agent Holliday is watching Lucado… Agent Dolls too… your sister...” Nicole furrowed her brows… “looks like they’re all suspicious of her too. Like you… interesting... and  _ that _ , did you see that?”

“See what?” Waverly was confused, squinting at the black and white footage. “Okay the radio connection will pass in thirty seconds… shit. It’s slow.” 

“It would take him ten minutes to complete his transmission, we got time…” Nicole said softly. She paused the footage and rewinded, “see that?” 

“He’s doing what everyone else is doing, listening to you..?” 

“No, when my back was turned to him and I spoke about the bomb, his eyes went to me -- this angle suggests he’s looking at my ribs…”

“Okay um, how did you even -- whatever, what does it mean?”

“It means I had to recuperate from broken ribs because of that bomb, Waverly, and no one knows that… unless--”

“Unless they’re the friggin mole and work for the friggin cult!” Waverly caught on, excited. 

The radio makes white noise as the frequency is interrupted. Waverly had hacked which one, having cracked the cult code earlier that week and kept it a secret with Nicole so they could formulate this plan. 

They both listened, and Nicole’s suspicions were confirmed when the unmistakable sound of Agent Roman Quinn’s voice came over the frequency and Nicole recorded it and sent the live feed and report to her superior officers at BBD so they had proof. 

_ “They suspect a mole, we need to make the attack now. They have the wrong agent in custody which will buy us an hour.”  _

“What a shit-ticket,” Waverly glared, feeling betrayed. She knew her feelings would pale in comparison to her sister and the other field agents who trusted Roman with their life. 

/

Wynonna was fuming, “this is total horseshit! She thinks Waverly -- Waverly who can’t even hide a pack of oreos from me! -- is the mole? She  _ saved  _ her life!”

“I don’t know, she kind of has a point,” Eliza spoke up, “your sister was either a genius or absurdly lucky to collect that communication chatter… or part of it in the first place to know where to find it. And you know any high IQ personalities are always unpredictable and organized criminal minds so...”

“Oh and you’re not saying that because you're still upset Waverly won’t date you, huh?” Wynonna shoved Eliza backwards. 

“Fuck off Wynonna!” Eliza stumbled and then shoved her back, “I’m just saying! Intel agents would have access to what we receive on the cult, it’s possible! I don’t think it’s Waverly but we can’t deny that Haught makes a point -- only a mole would have gotten Agent Downing’s bones out here or fed fasle intel to keep them ahead of us and now the cult knows we’re in Tibet. We’re all fucked!”

Dolls held Wynonna back before she could lunge at Eliza again. Still Wynonna spat out, “Waverly is not the mole!”

“But also, when you think about it,” Quinn crossed his arms and frowned, “your sister has never dated anyone who asked in BBD and we all know a lot of us have Earp. Maybe she never wanted an agent too close to--”

“Finish that sentence and I will kick you in the dick Quinn!” 

“I agree,” Agent Holliday lowered his voice, “but Eliza has a point, an intel agent would be the one… we’ve suspected Lucado for some time.”

Dolls relaxed his hold on Wynonna and nodded when she made no further move to try and hit Eliza. 

“She is kind of a bitch,” Eliza relented. “Doesn’t really fit in with the other intel dorks…” 

“This is fucked,” Dolls agreed that Waverly didn’t feel like a traitor, but his head was swimming that one his agents could be. “I think it’s Lucado too.” 

Holliday piped up from his spot. “Lucado’s been awfully fidgety lately… I think our captain is barking up the wrong tree with Waverly and this would give Lucado time to give away our location!”

“Oh  _ now  _ you admit the captain might be wrong,” Wynonna rolled her eyes at him, “otherwise you’re always defending her!”

A scream echoed from the control room, causing them all to pause. The field agents all stood up and ran to where the scream came from, shocked to find Agent Jeannie Lucado on the floor with blood pouring from her eyes and ears and a frightened Dr. Gloria Valdez whimpering as Jeremy Chetri and Chrissy Nedley comforted her. 

“Well shit, maybe not,” Agent Holliday frowned and everyone was more confused as ever. 

/

“Okay that’s the alarm,” Nicole stood up and helped Waverly to her feet, “that means Lucado is dead.”

“Dead?”

“It’s a decoy, she’s actually a senior field agent who trained me in black ops... She’s playing dead to help us pin down the traitor, she knows about the plan -- she doesn’t know that  _ you’re  _ spying the same you didn’t know she was.” 

“Wait, what?” Waverly was pissed and she shoved Nicole, “are you freaking kidding, me Nicole? You said I was the only agent you trusted here! You lied!”

Nicole looked guilty but firm in her decision, “Can you yell at me later? Time is of the essence… and I  _ never _ lied about that Waverly. We need to go. Now.” 

“Fine,” Waverly was offered a gun and she raised her brow, still upset. 

“I am also aware you can protect yourself,” Nicole reasoned gently, “so uh… here. It’s loaded. Stay close.”

Taking the glock and rolling her eyes, Waverly followed Nicole out of the detainment room and stayed behind her as they crept toward the control room. 

“Status?” she asked the low-level security guard who was posted outside the door. 

Waverly frowned, this was the same Janitor who asked about her skincare routine… instead he was now in combat gear... 

“All assets are in the control room, Captain,” the guard said, looking nonplussed at Waverly being out of detainment and holding a gun. 

“Assets?” Waverly furrowed her brow, “Wait… you…”

“Agent Earp, meet Agent Jett.” Nicole clicked the safety off of her gun, before giving Waverly a secret wink. 

“You can call me Robin,” he offered with a handshake, “sorry about the cold room.”

“You’re Black Ops like Lucado,” Waverly realised with excitement, “Oh my god! This whole blacksite was actually a black ops mission to find out who the traitor was! Smart, Haught.”

Nicole caught her compliment and smiled, looking beyond pleased Waverly had been impressed with her and called her ‘smart.’ 

“Yep,” Agent Jett gave a signal over his shoulder, “and Agent Shorty -- the cafeteria cook -- is in position.” 

Nicole nodded, “alright. Move. Waverly, stay behind me...” 

The control room doors were burst open and all ‘low-level’ agents who had secretly been black ops all along were now in full combat gear and had guns raised at the group in the centre of the room. 

“Woah!” Agent Chetri surrendered his hands up and nervously backed up, “what’s going on?”

“Care to tell them Quinn?” Nicole raised her brow at him in challenge, gun trained on his shoulder. . 

Roman gulped, fear flickering in his eyes for the first time. 

“Waverly?” Wynonna looked pissed, relieved, and confused as she realised Waverly was armed and definitely not detained from where she peeked over Captain Haught’s shoulder. 

“It was a distraction Wynonna,” she shared to her sister and by default the rest of the room, “so we could find out who the  _ real  _ traitor is.” 

“You, Quinn?” Agent Holliday turned on him and gripped his jacket, betrayal clear on his face, “you?!”

Roman looked flustered and trapped, “I -- I’m not, I wasn’t anywhere near Lucado! Captain is off her rocker!”

With a groan, Lucado stood up from the ground, revealing she had been alive the whole time, and smiled wryly at Quinn. “My son was an agent in Shelterlands, Quinn. You cult  _ scum _ .” 

“It’s over, Quinn,” Nicole warned him again, “we’ve got you surrounded and Agent Earp intercepted your voice. We have you on record communicating with Cult of Bulshar and confirming our location for them to attack.” 

Agent Holliday let go of him and the not-actually security guards kicked the back of his legs so he sunk to his knees before cuffing his arms behind him. 

“You’ll never catch us Haught! I should have killed you when I had the chance… and soon you’ll all be dead! They’re on their way,” he smirked, eyes chilling as he gave up his act and proved he had been the traitor among them. 

It was an admission of guilt and Nicole had sympathy at betrayal on all of the team’s faces from his words. Dolls, Doc, Wynonna, and Eliza had been through war with and trained with him… to find out he was the one to throw them to the wolves was a harsh pill to swallow. 

“Jokes on you, Quinn. We ain’t in Tingri, Tibet… We’re in Shigatse.” Nicole holstered her weapon, relaxing her stance and giving him her best dimpled smile. “Got you.” 

“Wait what?” All colour drained from his face as he realised he had been played. 

“You gave them the wrong location of our blacksite,” she nodded and watched as he was forced to his feet to be led away. 

“I’ll kill you all for this!” He yelled right before Wynonna snapped out of her trance and punched him so hard he was knocked out and hit the ground. 

Hissing and shaking her hand of the pain from clocking him, Wynonna and the other field agents stepped aside quietly and out of Nicole’s way -- metaphorically making way for her to continue. She nodded and gestured to the other agents to help drag his unconscious body to detainment. 

“Get some smelling salts ready, time to interrogate this piece of shit. Agent Earp, come with me,” Nicole said. When both Wynonna and Waverly looked at her she clarified, “Waverly.” 

/

“So…” Dolls sat with his team as Captain Haught left them to interrogate their traitorous teammate in detainment, Waverly gone with her. “This whole mission was actually a setup for the Cult of Bulshar?”

“And Waverly was part of the plan…” Wynonna snapped out of her thoughts, respect for her sister in her voice, “shit, so we were  _ all  _ suspects to begin with.” 

“How could we not know? We were all doing shots just weeks before we came out here, celebrating another successful mission…” Eliza looked distraught, “Quinn bought us all a round and we played cards against humanity. I gave him my banana at breakfast.” 

“I thought it was Lucado,” Agent Holliday looked equally shocked before catching Lucado’s eyes and saying, “sorry.” 

“Don’t be,” Lucado told him, “you picked up on me being a double agent so your instincts ain’t off. Wrong but not off.” 

“I thought we were all going to die,” Jeremy blinked out of his daze, “I can’t believe Quinn was part of the cult… his psych evaluation was the least questionable.” 

“Who was the most questionable?” Wynonna asked, genuinely interested, “me?”

“Actually it was uh, Chrissy,” he mumbled, eyes darting to his fellow intel agent and friend who was sobbing into some kleenex. “They flagged her as a crier.” 

“My dad told me all I needed to do on this mission was watch and learn…” Agent Nedley whimpered, eyes definitely leaking tears. “All I learned is that the best looking guy can actually be the fucking worst.” 

“Best looking?” Agent Holliday protested the same time Dolls scoffed out his own disagreement. 

“I almost pissed myself when I saw all of that blood on Lucado… in hindsight I should have been able to discern fake blood…” Dr. Valdez supplied, adjusting her thick rimmed glasses. “The shock numbed me.” 

“Your scream really helped it all come together though,” Waverly’s voice interrupted them, a light cheeriness and apologetic smile on her lips as she announced her presence.

“I’m sorry you were all kept in the dark,” Nicole entered the control room a step behind Waverly. She tossed an ice pack at Wynonna who caught it, reluctantly pressing against her knuckles. 

“Understandable, captain,” Valdez said. 

Waverly went to sit next to Wynonna, touching her hand and giving her a sisterly side-hug as Nicole addressed the team. “If you’ll all have a seat…” 

Lucado sat next to Valdez, “sorry I nearly gave you that heart attack, Gloria…” 

“I understand the need to do what’s necessary for my family… I’m sorry you lost a son, Jeannie. I can’t imagine losing my daughter.” 

Nicole spoke again after everyone was seated and gave her their attention, “I told you all this would be the hardest three months… and it was because I knew you would discover one of your own was a traitor. You are all incredible agents, you suspected something was wrong and you questioned things. Purgatory squad, we have no mission left. BBD will be taking your statements enroute our home flight and then it’s back to business next week Monday.”

“What is the trap you set for the cult, Captain?” Dolls asked her, respect in his voice for the first time. “You wanted Quinn to give up our location so you kept our location secret?”

“Correct. As of thirty-seven minutes ago, Cult of Bulshar were surrounded in partnership with China’s BBD division and government… they bombed the Tingri blacksite they thought were in but they were outnumbered and all known high level Cult operatives have been confirmed captive.” 

Everyone cheered. 

“Yeah. Our mission was a success, and you all should be proud.” 

“Our mission?” Holliday furrowed his brows as he asked, “weren’t we merely a distraction? A trap? Suspects?”

“It wasn’t a fully fake mission, the reconnaissance and intel we collected were invaluable to the end result,” Nicole reminded them, “I just knew we had to play this smart which was why I kept our actual location a secret from  _ all _ of you… I assumed the cult would be two steps ahead of us and made an action plan… I’ve lost too many comrades in this war, so I hope we’re cool?” 

“You’re definitely more awesome than I gave you credit for, Captain” Wynonna told her with some grudging respect as well before turning her head to glare playfully at Waverly. “And you.”

Waverly felt all eyes on her and she shyly tucked her hair behind her ear, “hi?”

“Don’t ‘hi’ me you little shit,” Wynonna punched her arm, “you are in so much trouble! Endangering yourself? Faking detainment? Spying on spies? Getting hit on all the damn time?”

Eliza coughed. 

“It was her idea on how we set up the trap to catch Quinn red handed,” Nicole sounded proud and it made Waverly’s heart flutter. “You really are an excellent Agent, Dr. Waverly Earp. BBD thanks you.  _ I _ thank you for helping me avenge my unit. My parents.” 

Waverly rubbed her sore shoulder with a pout, overwhelmed with Nicole’s gratitude, “Well, I mean, you’re the one who identified who the traitor was captain… and you had this amazing idea--”

“And I’m the one who had to lie down in a puddle of fake blood and play dead,” Lucado snarked, cutting their complimenting short. “You’re welcome.”

“Of course,” Nicole really hoped no one noticed her awe of Waverly too much, “you were awesome Agent Lucado.” 

“Daddy wasn’t in on this?” Wynonna hugged Waverly close, asking her in a hushed tone. 

“No…” Waverly whispered back. “Since you were here, he couldn't be trusted to be objective. Only Director Moody, Agent Lucado, the guys we thought were a cook and Janitor or security knew.” 

“He ain’t going to be happy I’ll tell you that much,” Wynonna grumbled but was relieved Waverly was safe. “You did awesome babygirl. Mama would be so proud, hell I’m proud! Love you.” 

“Love you too,” Waverly smiled, “and nice punch.” 

“Thanks.” 

Nicole announced, “Our flight is here, Agent Dolls is in charge of site cleanup and inventory -- wheels up in forty-five. Collect your stuff and roll out. Second flight leaves in one hour post.” 

Dolls perked up surprised to be given a leadership role -- Nicole’s role for site cleanup, and everyone made their move. 

“Of course captain…” He jumped to it and the room of exhausted, eager to go home agents followed suit. 

/

Waverly tentatively approached the office of Nicole, shyly looking inside and watching as the captain stuffed files into a single box.

“Hey you,” she said softly, taking a step forward. 

“Hey,” Nicole paused what she was doing and they both realised it was dark and they were alone. “I thought you’d be on flight?”

“I told Wynonna I forgot to grab my favourite Japanese pens so I can flirt with you first.” 

“Waverly…” Nicole looked and sounded torn. 

“It’s so empty now, like no one was ever here…” 

Nicole nodded, “yeah. All swept clean… Dolls is very efficient that’s for sure.” 

“We’re all alone, the mission is over…” Waverly stepped around the desk, turning the light off as she approached so they were totally enveloped in darkness. She cupped the back of Nicole's neck, feeling her hot neck as their eyes adjusted to the lack of light. “We have twenty minutes before we fly out. Everyone else is distracted packing… no one can see us...” 

Nicole sighed, melting as soft, warm lips pressed along her neck. 

She was still a superior officer to Waverly and they should  _ really  _ not be doing this. Still, she groaned and leaned down to take Waverly’s lips in a heated kiss in the dark, unable to stop herself. 

She was breathless and panting as Waverly tugged her shirt out of it’s tuck and slid fingers up her ribs. 

All the calls and messages were hot and satisfying -- but the need to really have Waverly again was overpowering. She was even softer than Nicole remembered. 

Waverly’s fingers disappeared from her ribs to start fumbling with her belt and Nicole staggered forward, surprised at the urgency they were both feeling as she helped Waverly sit on her desk. 

“Wait, Waverly, wait,” Nicole gripped the determined wrist that had unzipped her fly, “baby… I need you to know I can’t just have sex. I’m not wired that way. If we do this, then I’m taking you out on dates and we are  _ doing  _ this.”

Waverly whimpered and then pushed her fingers forward at their angle through Nicole’s waistband and into warm, wet heat. 

“Oh fuck,” Nicole gasped, eyes hooded in pleasure. 

“Come for me baby, then take me on this desk like you promised… We are definitely doing this. We can talk later.” 

“Yeah sure,” Nicole closed her eyes and thrust up into a hand, voice quiet, “later.”

Waverly whimpered as Nicole kissed her. 

Nicole gasped out a laugh and rolled her hips into Waverly’s hand, leaning her weight onto the desk she was holding and quietly whispering in Waverly’s ear. 

“You like this don’t you? Having me all to yourself… getting under my skin… in my skin...”

Waverly kissed Nicole desperately, giving the answer of just how much she liked it as she moaned from the accuracy of her words. Over the course of her arrival to the blacksite, she had allowed herself to speak her desires at night on the phone with Nicole while everyone slept and she knew this was something they both wanted. 

“Shh, you got to be quiet,” Nicole reminded her. 

“Oh  _ Nicole _ ,” Waverly peppered kisses up Nicole’s throat and moaned her name into her ear, the way she knew Nicole liked it, “you know how hard it’s been? Hearing you tell me at night how badly you want me and having to touch myself pretending it’s you, then staying all professional at work and not kissing you? You drive me crazy, baby… only you…” 

“Ah!” Nicole came around her fingers and tensed, forehead pressed to Waverly’s before letting out a final gasping breath and kissing her with intention again as Waverly pulled out. 

Her kiss held all of her pent up longing, and she could have kissed Waverly and forgotten the time if the desperate pull of legs around her waist hadn’t reminded her of the urgency. 

Waverly felt herself gently guided to lay back on the desk and she eagerly discarded her sweatpants with a final kick as Nicole tugged them off, having worn them for a reason more than just the long flight home (they were quicker to take off). 

Nicole seemed to realise she had no panties on and made a sound of approval. 

“God you’re so wet for me,” Nicole’s weight was over her and then fingers were inside her, hitting her so slow and filling her so well before pulling out, and Waverly held on for dear life, arms around her neck. “Let me take care of you baby…”

She closed her eyes as Nicole took her in a longing, tender kiss. 

“I’m so sorry you’ve been hurting…” Nicole hands massaged the inside of her thighs, “needing me and I couldn’t… but now I promise to take care of you… you got to be quiet...”

Waverly nodded, struggling to keep her noises after Nicole’s whispered warning. She nestled her hands in red hair while her thighs clamped around Nicole’s shoulders. The desk creaked, and Nicole’s tongue had her body convulsing her shaking. 

She really tried to be quiet but how could she, when her clit was sucked like  _ that _ . She sucked in a sharp breath and it was loud and high and sexual. 

Nicole stood up and adjusted her legs from her shoulders back around her waist, tugging Waverly in close and shushing her. 

“Shh, shh,” Nicole’s hand was inside her, “just -- fuck -- just bite my shoulders, Waves.”

Waverly muffled her sounds into the fabric of Nicole’s shirt and shoulder, finally finding relief as Nicole whispered to her. 

“I promise when we get back, you can be as loud as you want.” 

/

“I can’t believe we did that,” Waverly whispered to Nicole in the cabin of the BBD plane. They were five hours into the flight before she dared to bring it up. The rest of the agents appeared to be fast asleep after having given their statements, and Wavely had left her spot next to her snoring sister to slide into the vacant one beside Nicole. 

“You’re the one who came to me,” Nicole purred near her ear, offering her a spare blanket. “And that was our new peak hotness...” 

Waverly smiled -- it most definitely was. She knew they were both eager to lock themselves in a bedroom and try Nicole’s mouth again, this time without Waverly having to be quiet. 

“I mean, I get that we’ve started something incredibly inappropriate,” Waverly whispered back to her in a panic, “fornicating at a blacksite during a classified mission for starters! And Wynonna asked me why I took so long to find my pens… I lied to my  _ sister  _ to get laid.” 

“We didn’t fornicate  _ during _ , Waves, we kept our hands to ourselves,” Nicole reminded her. 

The innuendo when she said ‘ourselves’ was not lost on Waverly who rolled her eyes in amusement. 

“Technically the mission was over before you assaulted me in my office,” Nicole whispered. “Seducing me.” 

“You caved, Nicole. You gave no resistance. And still, we did a  _ lot  _ of late night phone calls while on mission.”

“Exchanged a lot of pictures too,” Nicole sounded wistful. 

“We haven’t even properly discussed the fact that you lied to me about the mission!”

“Woah hey,” Nicole looked around to make sure everyone was still sleeping before she snuck a hand under the blanket to hold Waverly’s hand gently. “I had a mission… I’m sorry I couldn’t give you all the details but I was never supposed to read you in about Lucado at all… I told you when I felt like your hard work wouldn’t go to waste. I’m sorry. And I never lied -- I did  _ only  _ trust you. Lucado I can trust to want revenge for her son, but I never trusted her to not endanger you in the process or screw up. That’s why she had no clue you were working with me.” 

Waverly softened considerably. 

“Yeah,” she said back, “yeah I can’t… it’s unfair of me to be mad. You’re an amazing agent and captain Nicole.” 

“Well,” Nicole smiled, eyes twinkling, “that actually means a lot coming from you, Agent Earp.” 

“So you really lost your parents which -- by the way --  _ wow _ . I’m sorry...” 

“Yeah I,” Nicole smiled sadly, “yeah I did. And… I know you lost your mom when you were really young too… it was cancer, right?”

“Yeah,” Waverly shrugged, “she was an agent too. After she died, Daddy was all about work all the time. God, he is going to be so pissed when i get back…”

“Oh he’s pissed alright,” Nicole revealed, “I had a conference call with him and Moody while you all were giving your statements.” 

“Here is me changing the subject. So... tell me,” Waverly flirted quietly with a private whisper, interlacing her fingers with Nicole’s under the blanket, “where are we going on our first date?”

“How can I top a three month stint in a Tibetan blacksite?” Nicole quietly joked back. 

//

//

“After all my years of service -- to be kept in the dark about an operation THIS HUGE!” Ward was fuming as he stomped around Moody’s office. “I’m the fucking DEPUTY DIRECTOR!” 

Moody groaned as Ward slammed a fist on his desk, throwing narrowed eyes at Nicole who had allowed the deputy director to let his anger out since her arrival and debriefing of the mission. She and the team had landed, slept off their jet lag, and first thing Monday morning she was getting chewed out by Ward Earp before she even got any coffee. 

“Sir,” she said, “if you were in my shoes--”

“My daughters! How could my DAUGHTERS have ever been suspected in the first place? Wynonna fucking took out The Revenants for chrissake! She’s a gold star AGENT! And Waverly had a target on her back and you invited her to the wolves den!”

“Ward!” Director Moody stood up, “It’s done! And now Waverly is also getting a gold star because she was pivotal and brave on this mission. It was the right call to recruit her.”

Ward turned his body to Captain Nicole Haught, his anger now sounding confused, “Waverly was?”

“For bravery. For being the one to get the evidence on Quinn. For staying faithful to the mission and coming up with a plan that helped us trap him...” she told him, glad to see he was cooling off with these news. 

“Oh,” Ward straightened his back and there was no trace of anger in his voice anymore, “her first mission and she…”

Nicole knew Waverly hadn’t spoken to him in over a year now, and she felt some sympathy for him. He couldn’t really be blamed for wanting to keep her safe, but he was pretty dumb for not recognizing her talent. Or knowing what he was yelling about. 

“Yes. It was her idea I ultimately used to trap the mole -- Roman Quinn. She’s a very formidable agent, Deputy Director. You should be proud. It was an honour to work with her.” 

“I am,” Ward now raised his hand to Nicole for a shake, “I guess thank you for looking after my daughter, Captain.” 

“Uh,” Nicole shook his hand and tried to keep herself from fidgeting or blushing when she remembered Waverly cumming on her hand in the darkness of her office. “You’re welcome sir.” 

/

“Hey Waverly.”

Waverly looked up from her lunch and gulped when she saw who was greeting her. She was definitely in BBD if the Rodeo squad was already up in her business. 

“Ch-Champ, uh, I mean Agent Hardy. Hey.” 

“I’m still Champ to you,” he said, a boyish grin expanding on his handsome face as he sat down across from her with his own lunch. He winked and she  _ really  _ did not need this right now. 

With him was an awkwardly standing Perry Crofte, another trainee Waverly had ‘history’ with. 

News had gotten around BBD fast about Cult of Bulshar being taken down and the agents who did it. Her name was especially gossipped this last week considering she had been nominated for an agency Gold Star of merit for her role. 

Even Willa had said ‘well done’ and Willa never said that. Ever. 

“Heard you’ve been in black ops this whole time,” Champ bit noisily into his apple, “that’s hot.” 

“Not, um, exactly,” she took a sip of her water and smiled politely back. For an agent he listened to gossip more than facts and the current gossip was she had been undercover the last year. 

Perry and Champy had both pursued her during her trainee days. She had kissed Champ underneath some mistletoe once during a christmas party, and she had  _ almost  _ agreed to go on a date with Perry when he sent her flowers because she seemed to really like her, until her dad lost his shit. Waverly didn’t think it was worth the hassle. 

“You want to grab some drinks after work?” Champ was forward and his eyes checked her out as he asked, “I still think we would be smoking hot together.” 

“Sorry Champ, still not interested,” she let him down gently -- noticing Perry smirk in the corner of her eye as Champ pouted. 

“Still sticking to the no dating an agent rule huh?” Perry asked wryly, maybe a hint of wishful thinking as he asked. 

Waverly wondered what was going to happen when everyone found out about her and Nicole… surely people she turned down with her rule would understand? 

“Well actually I’m --”

But before she could say anything, Wynonna interrupted. 

“Agent baby EARP!” Wynonna and Dolls sat down and Champ paled at the interruption. Both he and Perry sat straighter, intimidated by any Earp that was not Waverly. 

“Hey sis,” Waverly smiled at her, glad they were on better terms since Tibet. Like old times. 

“Daddy wants to see you in his office. These two dipshits ain’t bothering you, are they?”

“No, Wynonna,” she glared at her sister, “they were being perfectly fine gentlemen so please leave them alone.” 

“How the hell are you two related,” Champ said under his breath, relieved Waverly was not outing his attempt at asking her out. 

“What was that Chipmunk?”

Rolling her eyes, Waverly saw a flash of red across the room and her eyes took in the wonderful sight of Nicole exchanging pleasantries with a small group of agents. Other division captains. 

When not on field missions, agents reported to the BBD headquarters which meant business attire (even though Wynonna stuck to her leather jacket instead of a blazer). 

Nicole was wearing a more casual version of business attire, despite being a permanent Captain now -- the captains she was speaking to were more formally dressed. But Waverly supposed being the captain of the division that took down Cult of Bulshar meant Nicole could dress however she wanted to. 

She had black fitted dress pants and a blue collared shirt -- the same clothes she was wearing when they first met at the conference bar. Waverly felt her heart skip in her chest at the memory, not really paying attention to the agents chatting around as she secretly swooned over her secret lover. 

Waverly never noticed the stalking gaze of Agent Tucker Gardner watching her from the coffee cart, his eyes glaring and darkening when he noticed her noticing Nicole. 

//

//

“We really can’t be doing this in the office,” Nicole said as Waverly slid cool hands up her ribs. “Fuck.”

Since transitioning back to work at headquarters, the excitement of BBD defeating the cult had the whole agency in high spirits. And Waverly often coercing Nicole to close the blinds in her office when everyone else was rushing to lunch. 

“One more kiss,” Waverly requested her, arching her neck up into it and tugging Nicole down as they made it last as long as possible. “Okay… fine... I’m going back to work now and we are still on for tonight right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Nicole promised her, smiling as Waverly left the office before she tucked her shirt back into her pants with a furious blush. She had to be careful, Waverly’s hands were fast. 

/

“What are you and Dolls working on?” Waverly peeked over Wynonna’s shoulder curiously, “I’m done with all my work. I’m too efficient.” 

“Amateur move,” Wynonna teased her. “Always leave some paperwork for later.” 

“You never do paperwork ever,” Waverly pointed out to her sister. 

“Yeah I really don’t… you want to do it for me?”

“I am bored enough,” Waverly contemplated with a grin at her sister. It was nice being here at BBD, working with Jeremy and Chrissy and Valdez and other intel agents. 

Valdez hosted them all for a wine and cheese and the most epic round of board games. She liked her colleagues, she liked working with Wynonna and Willa occasionally joined them for lunch (suggested by a therapist). While she still avoided her dad out of sheer stubbornness, waiting for his apology, things were looking up. 

“We’re helping the FBI in tracking down a serial killer,” Dolls shared with her, “he stalks his victims, sends them photographs of his stalking, targets women with brown hair of a certain stature and height, tells them they’re sluts… we have four victims found with their throats slit. No sign of rape, but he undresses them and masturbates over their dead bodies after.” 

“That’s awful,” Waverly whispers, shocked at the photos and desperately blinking them away, “need any help?”

“Sure,” Wynonna said, “but  _ after  _ you go see Daddy. Seriously Waves. He knows he was an asshole just talk to him?”

“Ugh.  _ Fine _ .” 

Waverly went to the elevators and up to see her dad on the top floor. 

She knocked and entered his office when he said ‘enter.’

“Oh! Waverly,” he was hunched over his desk with Agent Tucker Gardner, “I thought it was Carol.”

“I can come back,” she offered. 

“Uh no need, Agent Gardner was just helping me with my password… we all set Tucker?”

“All set sir,” he swiftly stood up, adjusting his glasses and pausing near Waverly at the door. “Hi Waverly.”

“Um. Hey Tucker,” she politely acknowledged his greeting as he left. With him gone, Waverly turned stubborn eyes to her father. 

She was prepared to maintain her angry pout until he apologised right away. 

“I’m so sorry Waverly, I love you and I am so proud of you babygirl… can you forgive me? For being such an idiot and not recognizing your talent?” His hands were on her shoulders and her heart swelled from his pride. 

“Really?”

“Really!” Ward pulled her close and hugged her. “My daughter took down the Cult of Bulshar! Ha. Margo Clanton is  _ seething  _ with jealousy that old hag’s kids can’t even tie their shoelaces--”

“Daddy,” she chastised him and his long running rivalry with his old partner. 

Finally, Waverly felt her aching heart from her father’s actions start to heal and she told him she loved him too. Forgiveness was easier than she thought after all. Today was awesome. 

She laughed when he laughed and continued to brag loudly, “All my girls! A father is proud. Three top notch agents. Earp takeover! I heard everything you did, but not from you. Care to tell your dad about your first mission?”

“I’d love to!” 

//

“I never thought this job would have so much paperwork,” Nicole complained over the flickering candles of their dinner. 

Two months had passed since they returned from the blacksite, and their relationship had become a pattern of secret dinners and nights in Nicole's condo. 

Waverly’s apartment was getting dusty from her lack of presence, but Nicole had a cat that she loved to cuddle so she preferred going there. 

“Why Captain Haught, you can take down a cult but can’t handle a little filing?” Waverly teased her. 

“Ugh,” Nicole took her last swallow of wine and then smiled, dimples fully exposed, “speaking of paperwork… there is this one form for HR that requires us to disclose any inter-office relationships?”

Waverly gulped, nervous, “Oh right… that pesky thing...”

“It’s no pressure from me, Waves. I’m black ops -- keeping things secret is fine for me…” Nicole looked uncharacteristically shy as she spoke her next words, “I only bring it up because… because I know how much it means to you and I promised no more secrets between us. And I want you to know I’m committed to this -- to  _ us _ .” 

“I know,” Waverly reached over the table and caressed Nicole’s hand. “Baby, we have something special and I… I can’t picture not having you in my life. I’m ready.” 

“Yeah?” Nicole looked thrilled and Waverly giggled as her hand was lifted up for a sweet kiss to her knuckles. 

“Yeah. Let’s do it.” 

“Okay,” Nicole sounded nervous and excited at their mutual decision to make it work official. “So we are doing this. I’m not sure I’ll be able to look your dad in the eyes again since he’s thanked me more than once for ‘looking after you’ and ‘guiding you around’ but we’re doing this.” 

Waverly laughed, “he trusts my judgement, sweetie. My whole family is going to love you I promise.” 

Nicole relaxed, “yeah… sorry that I, uh, don’t really have family to introduce you to? I have some friends though, I would love for you to meet them.” 

They were always wrapped up in one another, but this step meant being seen as together and it would be a new road for their relationship. Somehow Waverly knew it was all going to be okay. 

“I would love that. Hey, um, by the way I know we’ve tackled all the conversation topics of the day, like how your cat is scratching your couch still--”

“My fault for naming her Calamity--”

“-- and your battle with paperwork… I hate to bring up work again when we said we want to keep things more us related and less office related on dates, but I’ve been helping Wynonna and Dolls with this side case...”

“Yeah, the serial killer,” Nicole nodded, “sorry you guys are stuck with domestic cases for the time being. They just want the Purgatory squad -- apparently that’s what they call us -- to lay low until everyone is done therapy from Quinn’s betrayal. Then we will be mission green again. And I can’t wait to see you get your Gold Star at the awards ceremony next month, baby.” 

Waverly blushed. She had been nominated and then selected for an agency gold star medal, the coolest award and honour to be received by her peers and prove she was exactly where she belonged in BBD. 

“I know! I’m so excited! And since we’re disclosing our relationship we can be each other’s dates without hiding it,” Waverly gushed. “All dressed up… dancing!” 

Nicole smiled at Waverly’s excitement, “yeah…”

“Anyways,” Waverly quipped, snapping out of her daydream of ball gown dancing with Nicole, and reaching forward to take a bite of the vegan panna cotta dessert they were sharing, “I wanted to twist your ear about it. The FBI profiled this guy to be in his fifties and working a low-level job… but, how do I go about correcting a profiler if I feel like they made a mistake? I’m not a professional like them...”

“A mistake?” Nicole took an interest now, looking up from Waverly’s lips as they sensually closed over her spoon of dessert, “depends on what grounds?”

Shyly Waverly told her, “just the language he used in the latest victim… he’s more personal with her, unlike his previous letters… saying she doesn’t listen to him…”

“Okay? I don’t see the problem. You may not be a profiler but you are a language expert with a proven track record of distinguishing patterns and code.”

The assurance caused Waverly to open up about what exactly she wanted to say. 

“I just feel like… he sees himself as a peer to these girls, thinks they belong to him or owe him their undivided attention, and he’s frustrated they don’t notice him. And the way he has evaded the FBI and boldly left his DNA behind at crime scenes… I think he’s in law enforcement and has access to the files.” 

“Huh…” Nicole chewed her lip, “If he’s in law enforcement then his DNA would be on file…”

“Exactly,” Waverly waved her spoon around before smashing it on the panna cotta and taking another bite of dessert, completely unaware of Nicole’s attention to her lips, “so  _ bold _ . So arrogant as if there is no possible way he could be caught. Perhaps a BBD agent with falsified DNA or access to a computer mainframe to hack files? Stay ahead of the FBI’s leads? His attitude is like an echo of Quinn’s… I can’t explain it, but… maybe I’m reaching for something that’s not there? What if I’m wrong and I misdirect the case?”

“I say trust your gut. Tell the profiler exactly what you told me… have you run your theory by Dolls and Wynonna?”

“Not yet, just wanted to run it by you first,” Waverly admitted shyly, “you’re good with people…  _ they  _ need to learn tact.” 

Nicole laughed, not arguing that point, “ _ you _ said it, not me. So, Waverly Earp, our last night as secret lovers… whatever are we going to do?”

“Well,” she drawled out, offering up the next bite of dessert to Nicole who leaned down and closed her lips around the spoon, eyes hooded. “So many things… shall we go back to your place?”

/

“And so I dumped his ass,” Chrissy Nedley told Jeremy Chetri as they exited the movie theatre. 

“Good for you,” Jeremy bundled up his scarf around his neck and hailed a cab for them. “When do you think Waverly will join us on movie night again?”

“She’s still in her honeymoon phase with Haught,” Chrissy grumbled as they slid into the cab and tossed the address to the driver. “You know what’s funny?”

“That they think it’s a secret?”

“That no one else has caught on,” Chrissy giggled. “Seriously. Wynonna asked me the other day why Waverly was always running back for her pens!”

/

“Oh YES!” Waverly felt her vision explode with stars, body floating as pleasure tingled through every nerve in her body. 

She sunk back into the mattress with sigh, her naked body sweaty and satisfied as Nicole reappeared from under the sheets, kissing up her stomach and letting Waverly taste herself when their lips touched. 

She moaned her approval, combing Nicole’s hair back from her face. 

“God you’re so good at that,” Waverly breathed out between kisses, her voice hoarse. 

“I know,” Nicole rolled off of her, a proud grin on her lips. “I’ll get us some water.”

“Mhm,” Waverly stretched her thoroughly fucked body out and smiled when Nicole leaned over to steal another quick kiss before slipping out of the bed. 

She was so in love it was kind of gross, but by tomorrow she could stop being with Nicole in secret and squeal with Jeremy and Chrissy about it. 

/

Nicole submitted her updated HR paperwork first thing in the morning. Seeing both her and Waverly’s signatures and names side by side on the paper gave her a fluttering feeling of joy. She liked that Waverly was hers: her partner, her girlfriend, her lover, her guardian angel. Hers -- just as much as she was Waverly’s. 

The phantom scratches of Waverly’s fingernails down her back tingled as Suzanne, head of HR, uploaded it without blinking an eye. She was reminded that this was real. She was officially in a committed relationship with an extraordinary woman -- the first relationship she could really be herself in. 

The happiest she had ever been in her life was when Waverly had said she wanted to be with her. 

Suzanne glanced at the paper, stamping it with inked approval, before she said, “anything else Captain Haught?”

“No uh, is that good?”

“Yep. I’ll file it now.” 

Well. That was easy. 

Protocol allowed inter-office relationships, as long as they were disclosed by both parties. It was more common than she initially realized for agents to date each other, and the gossip in the headquarters was hot with who was with who. Apparently someone called Rosita had really been around breaking hearts. 

With that task out of the way quicker than she imagined, she bought her morning coffee and entered the bullpen, prepared to tell Waverly the good news. They were official. 

Instead, she found her team -- specifically Waverly -- yelling. 

“You can’t do this to me  _ again _ , Wynonna!”

“This fucking serial killer just set his sights on you, Waverly!”

“What?” Nicole interrupted them, eyes serious as she took in the situation after Wynonna’s words. 

Waverly looked scared, Nicole could tell, but she was also an agent first. 

“Agent Earp, have you been targeted by the serial killer?” Nicole asked her, hoping she misheard. 

“Yes captain,” Waverly looked grateful for the professionalism and Nicole fought every bone in her body that told her to hug Waverly close and comfort her and protect her. 

“She’s too damn smart for her own good!” Wynonna tugged her hair and tried to get Nicole to see her side of the argument, “just like with Cult of Bulshar, she has to stick her nose in things and get targeted!”

“What happened?” Nicole asked. 

“We had a morning briefing with our FBI correspondence and I suggested the profile was off…” Waverly started. 

Nicole knew this, remembering Waverly’s theory at dinner last night. 

“And it turns out she was  _ right  _ because she just got sent a threatening email as his next victim!” Wynonna said, her own fear clear as well. 

Nicole knew Waverly didn’t need her panic, so she clenched her fist and said, “Waverly, my office please. Wynonna, Dolls… get the whole team on this right now. We are taking over, if it was a response to a briefing chances are the killer is FBI. We need to stay on top of this. And get a security detail for Waverly.”

“Yes captain,” they both said, calling the team together. 

Waverly was already entering her office. 

Nicole closed the blinds to her office and locked the door before she hugged Waverly close to her, needing to hug her. 

“Nicole I was just doing my job--” Waverly sounded like she was on the verge of tears as she clung tightly back. “And now once again I’m in danger! I hate this. I feel useless again. Why me?”

“Shh baby,” Nicole kissed her forehead, her heart sinking at the sound of Waverly’s broken voice, “everyone takes threats seriously against our own here, especially because of Quinn’s betrayal… let them be angry it fuels them. And you did  _ nothing  _ wrong Waverly… you were right. Again.” 

Waverly sniffled in her arms, “he  _ threatened  _ me… he said BBD can’t protect me from him.” 

Nicole held her impossibly tighter, “I’m going to  _ kill  _ him.” 

“Nicole…” 

“I won’t let -- Waverly, you’re  _ everything  _ to me. I won’t let him touch a hair on your head, okay?”

“Why am I so scared?” Waverly asked her. 

“Only a fool wouldn't be,” Nicole offered gently. “Everyone’s scared, not just you. I’m scared too.”

“You?” Waverly leaned back looking up in disbelief. “But you’re always so tough.” 

“I can be tough and terrified at the same time… just like you babe,” Nicole gently whispered under her breath using her thumbs to brush away the tears that escaped Waverly’s eyes. “Especially when I… when I love you.” 

Waverly’s breath hitched from her admission. Time seemed to slow between them and she could see it there in brown eyes, love expressed just for her. “Nicole I--”

A knock interrupted them, causing them both to startle from their bubble. 

“T-they must be ready,” Nicole leaned down to kiss her gently before stepping back and giving them physical space, “shall we, Agent Earp?”

“Let’s do this,” Waverly mustered a smile, a new wave of courage in her body. “This guy has pissed off the wrong girl and we are going to catch his psychopathic ass.” 

She made sure she didn’t look like she had been crying and stepped out of the office with her head held high. 

“That’s my girl,” Nicole followed her out, equally determined. 

/

“Wasn’t helping the FBI with some cases supposed to de-traumatize us against one of our own working for the enemy?” Eliza voiced what everyone was thinking in the room, “and now the leading theory is the killer is FBI?” 

“Or BBD,” Nicole corrected. “We can’t rule our side out entirely.” 

“Are there no good agents left?” Rosita asked. She had been brought in to resume her bodyguard duties on Waverly and Waverly tossed her a wry smirk. 

“Miss me?”

“You know it,” Rosita said, “but he gets to you over my dead body.”

“Or not at all,” Wynonna piped up, “there doesn’t need to be any dead bodies, okay?”

“I’m a bodyguard Earp,” Rosita told Wynonna, “it was a phrase.” 

“Great. Another agent that’s fucked in the head,” Chrissy Nedley said. All eyes turned to her in shock. She was known more in the team for her crying and spam of cat videos, rarely showing any anger. She shrugged her shoulders. “Just saying… how many fucking traitors are there?” 

“Look,” Waverly pushed off of the wall where she had laid back as the team were updated by Wynonna and Dolls, “We need to do our jobs like any other! Facts are that I fit his profile -- my age, my height, my hair colour… my profession… This sick freak is targeting a woman he feels inferior to and he’s using a badge to get away with it. Are we going to let him get to us or are we going to get him?”

“We’re going to fucking kill him!” Jeremy yelled, shocking everyone with his choice of words. “I mean, get him right?”

“You’re alright, Chetri,” Wynonna gave him a nod of approval. He smiled. 

/

“So,” Rosita said, “here we are again. Back to bathroom buddies.” 

Waverly giggled, “I kind of missed having you around you know.” 

“Yeah yeah,” Rosita watched Waverly touch up her makeup in the mirror. They were alone so she pried. “Couldn’t help but notice that our BBD newsletter revealed a Captain  _ Nicole  _ Haught. Nicole as in--”

Waverly blushed furiously, spinning on her heel, “yes that Nicole.”

“From the way you described the sex, should have known you had a thing for authority figures.” 

“Ha ha,” Waverly crossed her arms, “we’re  _ together  _ together. It’s not just a fling I… I love her.” 

She wished she had said it back to Nicole earlier, but saying it out loud was a relief. It was the truth. 

“Oh,” Rosita looked surprised, “wow, um.. Congratulations then.” 

“But?”

“But nothing.” 

“You don’t look very happy for me…” 

“She’s your boss, Waverly. I know agents date agents but she’s a captain. You’re her direct subordinate… it comes off kind of….”

“I know,” Waverly said, “but we disclosed it to HR.” 

“You did?” Rosita looked surprised, “damn. I’m happy for you, then. Truly.” 

Waverly saw it, the flicker of disappointment. Rosita had  _ said _ she didn’t like her like that anymore but Waverly saw the look of someone who had maybe still hoped. 

“Rosita--”

“Don’t worry about it, you told me you didn’t think of me that way and… I’m your bodyguard.” 

“You’re my friend too,” she stepped forward, a hand on Rosita’s shoulder as a show of comfort.

“Great.” Rosita sucked in her bottom lip. “Well friend, let’s go get some dinner and you tell me about your girlfriend.” 

/

“Wynonna,” Waverly whined, “seriously. Rosita is with me so you can go home.” 

“No fucking way am I letting you out of my sight! You are the target of a serial killer. Rosita could be the serial killer.” 

“Gee thanks Wynonna,” Rosita drawled out. 

“Rosita is not the serial killer! And Willa and Dad are here!”

Her phone rang, and Waverly saw the caller ID. It was Nicole. She answered it, going to the kitchen where her father and Willa were chatting in hushed tones. 

Her whole family was acting as her bodyguards right now, and it was suffocating. She loved them and she felt safe but they were overbearing too. Her father insisted they all stay in their childhood house and she never remembered it being so damn small. 

“Hey baby,” Nicole’s voice instantly calmed her, “agents are in position all around you. You doing okay? Not feeling too caged?”

“I suppose I shouldn’t complain, I’m lucky to have a whole agency looking out for me when the other victims had no protection.” 

“You’re not a victim, remember? You’re an agent. A target that is under threat. You were on the Cult of Bulshar’s hit list and you still lived your life… this guy is a bug. You’ll squash him.” 

Waverly smiled. She made sure no one was eavesdropping before she lowered her voice, “I miss you.” 

“I know, I miss you too. But you got a house full of Earps.” 

“Ugh.” 

“Yeah and now is not the best time to tell them about our relationship...” Nicole said gently. “But it’s okay, they’re with you and it allows me time to help figure out who’s threatening you.” 

“Okay but you have to keep me updated.” 

“I will, promise.” 

“Of course… night?”

“Goodnight sweetie.” 

//

A full week passed by until Waverly received her next threatening email. It was mailed to her at work, and following the pattern of the other girls it included pictures taken  _ of  _ her. She had been stalked. 

“Shit,” Rosita was glaring even more than her, because she was right there in the pictures too -- standing beside Waverly who was photographed selecting oranges at a fruit stand in broad daylight. 

“He's taunting us,” Waverly was sick to her stomach, “not your fault Rosita.” 

“I want every SINGLE shithead who ever tried to hit on her interrogated RIGHT THIS DAMN MINUTE!”

Ward Earp’s voice boomed through the conference room as his anger blew a lid. 

Eliza Shapiro fidgeted in her seat and Rosita coughed. Waverly groaned. Her patience had finally lost it’s last nerve with her family freaking out. 

“Daddy, I do NOT need your overprotective father act right now. I need Deputy Director Earp to match the updated profile and run a fudging scan so I can make a list of suspects. Okay?”

The bustling conference room quieted down in shame and Waverly relaxed before ordering everyone else around. 

“Wynonna, you and Willa can check up with the FBI team while Doc and Dolls grab us lunch. Jeremy and Chrissy, you both can help me review the language of his emails and --- where’s Nicole?”

“Nicole?” Wynonna looked at her curiously, “first name basis with the captain? What, are you guys like friends now?”

Rosita was shooting her a knowing look and Waverly flushed from the slip of her tongue. Thankfully, she was saved from commenting as Eliza spoke up. 

“Wait, what about me? What can I do?”

“Um…” Waverly chewed her lip, “can you make sure Doc and Dolls don’t mess up my vegan order?”

“You’re lucky you saved my life Earp,” Eliza grumbled, standing up with Dolls and Doc, all reluctant to go and get lunch. 

“Where  _ is _ Captain Haught?” Ward had calmed down from Waverly’s telling off but was clearly still on edge, “I need to go over things with her. She’s not working another case right? This is the only case that matters!”

“Daddy,” Waverly was exasperated and hungry.

“Lunch for everyone,” Nicole walked in, a big tray of sandwiches behind her with a delivery boy dropping it on the table. “Waverly yours is some vegan mushroom thingie. In the white box. And I got one for you too, Agent Chetri.” 

Everyone cheered and grabbed sandwiches. Waverly perked up with a bright smile, reaching for her special box and digging in.

No one noticed Jeremy and Chrissy exchange knowing looks. 

“Saved from lunch duty by our captain,” Doc cheered. 

“Here here,” Dolls agreed. “Not that I wouldn’t totally get you food, little Earp, but... I’d rather not.” 

“Agent Dolls, Agent Holliday,” Nicole walked over to them, “can you take over witness statements? I don’t like how the interview of the mailman was conducted. Too generic.” 

Nicole was tugged aside by Ward who instantly started updating her on increasing Waverly’s security detail. 

People seemed less on edge with some calories, and Jeremy was pulling up any security footage of Waverly they could find. Dolls, Doc, and Eliza were now being asked more questions by Ward, and Waverly was glad her father was acting like an agent and less like a helicopter parent.  _ Finally _ . 

Ward Earp had been the arresting agent of many psychotic people in his time on the field. His most famous was The Jack of Knives Killer. 

“So, your girlfriend got you lunch,” Rosita whispered quietly to her as everyone set about their tasks. 

“Shh,” Waverly hushed her, panicked eyes begging her to shut up. “I haven’t told anyone yet. Not good timing.”

“Yeah no shit,” Rosita snickered. “Can’t say I blame you, your dad is going to flip his shit.” 

Waverly pouted, looking up from her food she found Nicole looking at her. Nicole offered her a smile that said so many things: I’m here, I love you, don’t worry, and I hope you like your food…

Waverly returned it, hoping her smile covered everything she couldn’t say with her family and team of agents in the room busy trying to hunt down a serial killer for her: I’m glad you’re here, you look nice, I love you too, and yes this mushroom thingie is delicious...

“How is it that a room full of agents just missed those fucking googly eyes?” Rosita snarked under her breath. Waverly kicked her shin. 

//

“Don’t stop… don’t stop I’m gonna -- oh! Nicole!” Waverly collapsed on Nicole’s chest after her climax was reached, heaving breaths while her hips slowed down on the dextrous fingers still inside of her. 

“Oh my god,” Nicole removed the hand she had on Waverly's ass to comb back some of the hair from Waverly’s sweaty forehead. “That was fast.” 

Waverly blushed, shifting her body off of Nicole’s hand and sitting beside her. They were in the backseat of Nicole’s car, parked in her designated BBD spot.

With the bodyguards shifting every twelve hours off and on at three o-clock, it was quarter to three. Her last bodyguard, Juan Carlo, had to use the bathroom really badly so Nicole smoothly offered to watch Waverly for the last twenty minutes of his shift. He was grateful and they eagerly used that time to run to her parking lot and out of the office for an afternoon quickie. 

“We haven’t had sex in weeks,” Waverly defended herself.

“I know,” Nicole sounded equally pained about it. Waverly was in an Earp sleepover every night and constantly had someone watching her. 

“Your turn?” Waverly was reaching for her pants, but Nicole stopped her intentional route. 

“No, baby. I’m good.” 

“You’re good?”

“We don’t have time,’ Nicole reasoned, even though Waverly could see how tempted she was to give in. “We need to go back inside.” 

“I hate being stalked by a serial killer, you know. It really dampens my sex life.” 

“Yeah, who knew it would be harder to get laid here than in Tibet,” Nicole chuckled, leaning up for a quick kiss. Or rather, it was meant to be a quick kiss until Waverly deepened it, kissing her hot and wet. 

“Waves--” Nicole tried to speak between kisses, “we only--” but Waverly wasn't willing to relent, “baby, we gotta-- mhmh.”

After one more peck, Waverly extricated herself from Nicole’s lap to sit beside her in the backseat. She buttoned up her shirt and felt pretty smug from the dazed look on Nicole’s face as her girlfriend watched her. 

“When this whole thing is over, Nicole, we are having a weekend away. I mean it. Somewhere with a beach and swimsuits. Maybe we can make it a week? Cocktails and ocean and hot hotel sex...” 

“I like the sound of that,” Nicole chuckled, pecking Waverly’s lips quickly one more time before sticking her wet fingers in her mouth and sucking them clean. 

Waverly moaned, really wishing she had more time with her hot girlfriend. 

“Come on,” Nicole got out of the car first, using the side mirror to quickly tidy her hair and smooth her wrinkled shirt. “How’s my hair?”

“Perfect.” Waverly gave up on trying to fix her own hair, just tying it up neatly into a bun with a hair tie before tugging her blazer back on and in place. Lastly she fixed her skirt’s hem which she was suddenly very glad she had happened to wear today for. More accessible. 

“You need to fix the back of your shirt babe,” she warned Nicole as they exited the parkade. Flustered, Nicole tucked her shirt in hastily as they entered the elevators and Waverly felt like she could rule the world as she confidently strutted ahead of her lady and back to work. 

//

Waverly was all science and data -- but the second she saw Tucker Gardner’s name on the list her dad had compiled as fitting her description, something in her gut twisted. 

He had always kind of lurked… Rosita mentioned he asked about her… he fit her idea of the profile… and his eyes, his eyes had that utter lack of compassion that she couldn’t shake from her head. 

When she had caught Quinn it took work, to spy and crack code and work with intel. She had been as surprised as anyone that it was him because he was always so charming and good at his job. 

But with Tucker, was it so simple to assume the sick feeling she got when she saw Tucker belittle the lady at the coffee cart for ‘not listening’ to his order? She had no proof and yet she just  _ knew _ it was him who threatened her. Stalked her. 

Problem was that Tucker was also a senator’s son, and Senator Gardner just happened to be the woman who had brunch with her father and rallied for BBD in congress. She couldn’t just accuse him without proof. 

“We’ve come up with ten suspects,” Ward addressed the room, “we break up into teams and follow each suspect this week. Rosita and Juan Carlo are good with their rotation on Waverly, Wynonna, you and--”

“It’s Tucker,” Waverly spoke up, certainty in her voice. “It’s definitely Tucker Gardner.” 

“Fucker Tucker?” Wynonna was the first to clarify, sounding shocked, “that thin creepy nerd? How could he have overpowered any of those women enough to kill them? His mom coddled him so much I doubt he could even shit without her let alone be a serial killer.”

“He  _ is  _ really creepy, though,” Chrissy said, eyes furrowed in thought.

Wynonna nodded, “yep, that he is.” 

“What makes you so sure Waverly?” Her dad asked, curious. 

“Because…” Waverly chewed her lip, “just… trust me. All you need to do is check his emails and see if a language expert can match them to the threats. The pattern.” 

“You are the language expert,” Jeremy told her plainly. 

“So are you, Jer-Bear,” she reminded him. 

“Right,” he offered her a comforting smile and touched her hand, “you can count on me Waves.” 

“Have him detained. Right now.” Was all Nicole said, but it was enough to startle every agent in the room. 

Even Ward seemed caught off guard by the hostility in her voice. 

“Nicole… he’s the Senator’s son--” Waverly started, only to be cut off with a harsh glare. 

“If we have enough suspicion we can detain him for twenty four hours. I don’t care whose son he is if you say it’s him I trust you.”

“Now hold on,” Ward bristled, “I trust Waverly too but… but instead of letting him know we’re onto him with detainment we need to stay ahead of him. Use this as an opportunity to see if he slips up and leads us to any evidence to use against him. Right now we have nothing but a profile and Waverly’s suggestion.”

“I don’t like it,” Nicole tried to argue. “The next twenty hours are the window of opportunity for him to kill her, like the other victims in the killer’s timeline! Following stalker photos and a second threat, he kills his victims in time and we are running out of it! Just detain him!” 

“Hey now captain!” Ward was a bit shorter than her but he gave his hardest authoritative glare. “Stand down! Waverly is  _ my _ daughter and I am still your Deputy Director lest you forgot?”

“No, sir, I have not forgotten.” 

The tension was thick and Waverly stood up to dispel it, “look… Nic-Captain Haught has a point, Daddy. The killer profile suggests he needs to stick to the timeline.”

“Well then I suggest for the next twenty hours we keep you here in BBD premises and we all stay with you for cover. He won’t be able to touch you with all of us here. And in the meantime we find the evidence we need to prove it’s him.” Ward’s tone left nothing up for discussion and everyone agreed with murmurs and nods. 

“Exactly. There’s only one of him and like, all of us,” Wynonna said, trying to assure herself more than Waverly even though she spoke directly to her sister. “That piece of shit ain’t touching you.”

Nicole looked like she wanted to argue some more but ultimately ended up pleading, “we can’t underestimate him. He may even be expecting this!”

“Let him come,” Willa spoke up now, deadly intent in her eyes, “we’ll have him surrounded.” 

“Jesus fuck where does she come from,” Chrissy whispered in a terrified voie to Jeremy. Willa had a scary reputation and usually Waverly found it amusing to see agents tense up around her sister (who was unhinged, appeared out of nowhere like a vampire, and therefore had to have weekly therapy sessions at the agency), but today she felt grim. Everyone’s unease was getting to her and Nicole was clearly unhappy at Ward’s decision. 

If Nicole felt things were off, Waverly decided she should be more careful too. As Jeremy uploaded some info on Tucker to the private room for the team -- Waverly felt protected and loved and safe with her father, her sisters, her friends and her colleagues all on the case.

Yet at the same time, she felt nervous because Nicole left the room, slamming the door behind her, and Waverly felt fear threaten her bubble of security. She had learned about Nicole’s instincts firsthand -- from their hookup to their secret mission. She trusted Nicole’s instincts now too and wondered what had her so on edge? Was she simply upset because it was Waverly who was the target? 

“I need to use the bathroom… Rosita?” She was up and following Nicole out of the room. Rosita walked with her, and she didn’t have to go far because she found Nicole fidgeting with the kettle in the break room. It was the end of the office day so it was quiet, and Rosita knew about them anyways so Waverly placed a gentle hand over her girlfriend's clenched fist not caring for physical distance. 

“Nicole?” She asked softly, wanting her to open up. Nicole twisted her body and passionately explained herself. 

“He’s a serial killer, Waverly. He’s planned what he’s going to do to you -- his victims -- long before. You found out he works in BBD, he must  _ know  _ that and he’s pissed you’re onto him. Unpredictable. You’ve taken his perceived power away from him--” 

“I  _ know _ , Nicole,” Waverly looked quickly over Nicole’s shoulder, glad to see Rosita had stayed outside the break room to give them some semblance of privacy. She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to Nicole’s lips with her hands cradling her face in comfort. “It’s okay.” 

Nicole pressed her forehead to hers and breathed in shakily, “Waverly, you’re pretty sure you know who it is and if he feels cornered… he could…”

Shocked, Waverly saw Nicole’s eyes swell with tears. “Oh... baby… I’m okay, I’m  _ here _ .” 

Nicole shook her head and kissed Waverly’s lips quickly again before tugging her into a desperate hug. 

“I love you, Waverly,” she whispered for her ears only. “Promise me you won’t let your guard down, okay? Please?”

Waverly promised and the ‘I love you too’ on her tongue got stuck there. She inhaled Nicole’s scent and allowed the hug to go on a little longer before actually going up to use the bathroom. Nicole left to go home and feed her cat, as well as promising to bring her some oreos and an extra blanket. 

Rosita quietly told her in the bathroom, “got to admit… you guys are the real deal.” 

Waverly smiled at her through the mirror, glad to see Rosita meant it. 

/

“Espresso drink,” Dolls yawned, handing out coffees around six in the morning. There were still five hours left in the twenty hour period and Waverly had eaten every single oreo in the box Nicole had brought her out of stress. 

“Why’d you only bring one box captain, there are like ten of us and Waverly ate them all,” Wynonna pouted at the empty box. 

Rosita snorted and Waverly sighed at her sister’s obtuse observation. 

“Haven’t been this exhausted since I was a field agent,” Ward massaged his back, bags under his eyes. “One time, me and your mama -- God rest her soul -- had to take cover from the enemy in an abandoned bomb shelter. Keep each other warm…”

Wynonna gagged and Waverly giggled. 

“Hey now,” Ward warned his daughters, “that’s how Willa was made.” 

“Ew,” Willa grimaced at her father, disgusted. “Fucking ew.” 

“That explains why you’re so crazy Earp,” Eliza taunted Willa, “you were made in a bomb shelter.” 

“Still jealous I’m the best sharpshooter in this place Shapiro?”

“Hey now,” Agent Holliday reminded her, “I got you beat there.”

“I’m still better than Eliza. She can’t even land any of her shots with Waverly let alone with--”

“Oh my god,” Waverly tuned out the bickering. Willa had a way of bringing out the irritability in everyone, and they were all on edge and tired from the stress of this case enough as it were. 

“Oh my god!” Jeremy jumped up, pointing at his laptop. “I found it -- evidence that connects Tucker to the first victim, Poppy. They were in the same youth church group!”

It was a needle in a haystack and enough proof to arrest him. 

“Can we detain him now?” Nicole already on her feet and heading for the door, Ward on her heels as he called it in. 

Waverly blinked before turning to Jeremy, “great job Jeremy! You did it!” 

“Anything for you, Waves,” he said genuinely back, “I owe you my life and… and you make us all better agents.” 

“Aw,” Waverly found herself in a group hug with a crying Chrissy and happy Jeremy. 

“Ugh. Nerds,” Wynonna got up, “want to go see a serial killer get arrested?”

Waverly was relieved, she thought it was over. But when Tucker was unable to be found and hadn’t shown up for work, everyone was on edge again. 

And then news travelled that Senator Gardner had been found dead in her home, eye witnesses describing her son as the last to see her alive before gunshots were heard. And Waverly knew he was coming for her next. 

/

“One of our own agents has killed his mother, a senator who has rallied for us, and three FBI agents charged with tracking him down! He knew he was a suspect and he’s on the run. Agent Chetri?” Director Moody had the room packed with BBD agents for emergency update so all agents were alert. 

Since the news of Senator Gardner’s death, the Purgatory Squad pushed through their lack of sleep to attend the BBD briefing held by Director Moody. 

Jeremy nervously cleared his throat and stepped up to the podium, adjusting the microphone from Moody’s height to his own. 

“Thank you, Sir. Our target is Agent Tucker Gardner,” a power point of Tucker’s face -- the same photo from his BBD ID tag showed up, “caucasion male, computer service employee, aged thirty-three. Seven confirmed victims in the last three years -- all fitting the same profile. Light brown hair, average height, female, caucasian… well-liked, educated… until last night he was methodic in his kills. His victims now include his mother, Senator Gardner, and three male agents. May all these victims rest in peace. The same knife has been matched to the agents and the victims, but his mother was killed with a gun in what we assume was not planned. He’s on the run, he knows we know who he is, and he’s not in his comfort zone. His registered BBD gun was the affirmed kell weapon by ballistics used on Senator Gardner…”

As Jeremy continued to give out necessary details, including the last known location pinged from Tucker’s cellphone and eye witness statements who saw him running out of his mother’s office with blood, Nicole sat down next to her, offering a take out cup with a tea bag in it. 

“It's that herbal mint tea you like,” she said gently. “You okay?”

“Yeah I’m--” and then, like a shitty horror movie or bond villain reveal, the powerpoint screen was hacked and Tucker Gardner’s face, caked in some dried blood, was speaking to the room of agents. 

“Good morning my fellow agents. By now I know you’re all looking for me… and you won’t find me. I’ve hacked the mainframe and provided you all with false data. You all thought I was nothing but some computer nerd who you called when you couldn’t remember your passwords… you looked down on me and you looked up to the field agents. Field agents like the Earps. Waverly Earp. Everyone thinks she’s some kind of angel, praises her…”

Waverly gulped, feeling eyes on the room turn to her. Next to her, Nicole tensed considerably. 

“The smart mind who took down the Cult of Bulshar and got a gold star -- well she’s a liar and a  _ fraud _ . She’s been fucking her way through the ranks, opening her legs for her  _ captain _ !” 

He hisses with so much contempt and Waverly wonders how someone she never paid any mind to could be so resentful of her very existence, so evil and cruel. he killed all those women and then his own mother and… she’s absolutely furious when the powerpoint shows a photo of her and Nicole that leaves little to the imagination. 

Nicole had been right… he had planned to target her long before she caught on the case, because this photo was months old: Nicole kissing her outside her car after they had met by the docks for a lunch date on a weekend. Her back was pressed to the sedan door, ner neck tilted up into a kiss as Nicole leaned down into her -- their eyes closed as they had been in their own world, unaware someone was watching. 

Tucker had just taken the most precious thing of hers and spoiled it. She felt anger more than anything. She wasn’t embarrassed a room full of colleagues saw her macking with her captain in broad daylight, not even when the whispers around the room escalated. 

Nicole sat up straight next to her as Tucker’s voice resumed. 

“Your precious gold star agent, just another slut after all. We can work on that though, Waverly. I’ll still take you back... Obviously Captain Haught coerced you.”

Nicole was still until she wasn’t, standing up as Tucker’s face disappeared from the screen and Jeremy’s powerpoint reappeared. Waverly made the decision to stand up and stay metaphorically by her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. They were in this together. 

“Shit,” Chrissy’s voice behind them was clear and Waverly felt the muscle of Nicole’s shoulders tense under her palm. She could feel Nicole’s quiet fury, the same one she was feeling herself. Still, they were both determined not to let any emotion crack. 

She squeezed Nicole’s shoulder in a gesture to offer comfort and get her attention. Under her breath she said, “come on.” 

She turned, her eyes catching the shocked and angry ones of her father from where he stood near a fuming Director Moody. She glanced away first and walked with purpose out of the room, lifting her tea to her lips. Nicole followed her lead out of the room of whispering agents. 

//

“Fornicating with an insubordinate! One who you recommended for a gold star! Making a mockery of the trust given to you as a captain!” Ward reprimanded Nicole, listing out his reasons for doing so as Nicole silently took his anger without comment (though she did grit her teeth). 

“Ward--” Director Moody tried to interrupt. 

“Have you been using my daughter this whole time? I trusted you to look out for her!” Ward was in her face, fists clenched in her shirt’s collar. “Answer me Haught! Answer your superior officer!”

“Ward,” Moody warned him,“That picture  _ was  _ clearly taken off duty-- I don’t think-”

Nicole was about to open her mouth but a soft knock on the door interrupted them. 

“Who the fuck is that?” Ward stepped back, releasing Nicole’s shirt, his angry eyes glaring at the intruder as the door was opened. 

Of all people Nicole expected, she had not expected Suzanne from HR. 

“Director. Deputy director. ” She said, sounding not at all enthusiastic to have left her desk. “Captain Haught and Agent Waverly Earp disclosed their relationship to HR quite some time ago. After a brief investigation with the Purgatory unit no one in the squad was aware of their relationship implying they made sure to keep it from affecting their work. There is nothing in violation of our conduct. Can I go now?”

“Uh, y-yeah Suzanne, thanks,” Director Moody excused her before turning eyes to Nicole and a shocked Earp. “There you have it, Ward.”

“Waverly never told me,” Ward was still furious as Suzanne left, “why wouldn’t she  _ tell  _ me.” 

“Look sir,” Nicole chose that moment to cut in and say her two cents, “I’ve known Waverly since, well, since before I assumed my post as Captain. She’s a great agent and I would never interfere with her work… I know how this looks but I  _ love _ her.”

Ward looks like he had been expecting anything but that from Nicole, and the lost look in his eyes was regretful and shocked. 

“I’m sorry you found out that way, that you felt it was a betrayal of your trust in me... but Waverly wanted to tell you about us after all this. She didn’t want you or anyone else to be distracted.” 

“Captain,” Moody cut her off, “you are dismissed. Resume your investigation.” 

Nicole hesitated but nodded before leaving the Director’s office. Moody didn’t speak, letting Ward gather his thoughts first. 

“We need to find this freak, Richard,” Ward finally spoke, turning hard eyes to his friend and superior officer. “He’s threatening my daughter, he’s threatening us at BBD.” 

“This is personal,” Richard agreed. “And Ward? Cut Haught some slack. When it boils down to it, her and Waverly both took down the cult together, regardless of their… relationship. Haught is one of the finest leaders we have here.”

Ward nodded, “I will stay focused on this mission, but you’re not a  _ father  _ Richard, you don’t know what it’s like to not just be in this line of work but to have three brave daughters you’re in constant fear of losing! And to find out the very system I am trusting to keep her safe is a threat to her, that I didn’t even know the computer guy who fixed my password wanted to kill my daughter or the captain I trusted her with was literally fucking her!” 

He smacked his hand in anger against the wood desk. 

“I’m not… I’m saying this as the Director of Black Badge, Ward.” Moody placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know I’m not a father but we all failed to recognize we had a serial killer in here. I failed this division today. But you need to know, Haught is on the fast track to become Director when I retire. If anything, her being with Waverly  _ promotes  _ that. Your daughters are damn fine agents but Waverly has the intelligence to be the best intel agent I’ve ever seen. Better than her mama...”

/

“So… turns out we’re more alike than I thought,” Willa was the first person to approach her, finding her in the cafeteria with tired eyes and agents all around them doing a piss-poor job of minding their own business. 

Waverly sighed. She had never been too close with Willa, they had about ten years of an age gap between them. Waverly had been born too young to really remember their mother, only five when Agent Michelle Gibson was killed in action. Willa always called her an ‘accident’ child, because Ward and Michelle had thought two was enough. They didn’t anticipate a third. 

“How do you figure that Willa?”

“Slept with our bosses,” Willa said plainly before the barest of smiles touched her lips. 

“Slept with--” Waverly goes over every boss she can remember Willa having and her conclusion is, “Robert Svane!?”

“I called him Bobo,” Willa shrugged, “lost his head in Afghanistan. Good lay though.”

Waverly made a face because, well. That was gross. 

“You know, you look like mama the most out of us… Wynonna has her personality but, well, you do have her smarts. And I know I’m a shit sister…” Willa tentatively put her hand on Waverly’s, “but I’ve been really making progress in therapy. I want to be better.”

“Hey.” Wynonna interrupted them by slamming her butt down next to Waverly, “what’s the deal with you and Haught? Did she take advantage--”

“No, no,” Waverly reached over and grabbed Wynonna’s arm, imploring both of her sister’s with her eyes before telling them as seriously as possible, “I met Nicole at the forensics conference before I was an agent, okay? We flirted… we hooked up… a week later she’s my boss and we're at a Tibetan blacksite trying to stop a terrorist organization. After the mission we started dating and, look, we filed the paperwork with HR. She’s my girlfriend in a very consensual and healthy relationship.”

“Is this fucking Grey’s Anatomy, Black Badge version?” Wynonna mumbled. 

“I… I love her, okay?” Waverly told her sisters, admitting it out loud for the second time. “If anything happened to her I would  _ die _ . That’s how I feel about her. And she… she loves me too.”

“So it’s not a sexy work thing and she didn’t coerce you?” Wynonna asked one more time, eyes softer as she realised Waverly was serious. 

“I mean have you seen her? How can I not sometimes -- very  _ occasionally  _ \-- not find her sexy at work…”

“Gross,” Wynonna said at the same time Willa said, “If I was gay, I’d agree.” 

“You know why Daddy is pissed right?” Wynonna asked. 

“Um… because he’s always been pretty crazy when anyone hits on me?”

“Well yeah, but you should have seen Willa’s escort to prom. It was way worse,” Wynonna chuckled before turning serious again. “It’s because of Mama, babygirl. She was killed on the job because she was targeted for getting too close. It was why he sidelined you from the cult. He was afraid you would follow in her literal footsteps.”

Waverly shook her head, confused with what was being said, “no, no… Mama was -- Mama had  _ cancer _ .”

“Mama was poisoned, Waverly...” Willa affirmed what Wynonna was saying. “She was investigating The Jack of Knives, and he poisoned her when she figured out who it was. It destroyed daddy, it’s why we were all sent to boarding school and, you know the rest. Why he dove head first into work… drank more than usual...”

/

“You lied to me!” Waverly was in her father’s office slamming the door behind her in her indignant fury, “how could you lie about Mama!”

Her words froze in her throat when Waverly realised her father was bound and gagged to his office chair, eyes wide in fear and frantically looking behind her. 

A chill shot up her spine, and Waverly felt the click of a gun and it’s barrel pressed to the back of her head before the cold metal of it’s nozzle swept her hair aside from her neck. 

Tucker Gardner spoke with unhidden venom right into her ear, “hi Waverly. I was just about to call you up here, how nice of you to save us some time.”

/

The thing was, Waverly had felt like Tucker was going to come for her at BBD. He was too arrogant, too delusional, and too hateful. He would want to make his point not just to her but the whole BBD that he was right under their nose. 

His motivations were clear to Waverly, how he tried to humiliate her by revealing her relationship with Nicole to the whole division and taunt them that he had access to their mainframe. It made sense to her that he was going to try something at BBD. 

What she hated was that she never thought he would go after her dad. She suspected he might try to go after Wynonna or Nicole -- someone she was closer to. Maybe even Jeremy because Jeremy was the one who got the link between him and Poppy. 

But not Ward. 

“No one’s coming to help you, Waverly.  _ I _ win and  _ you  _ lose.”

Her dad was screaming but it was muffled by the duct tape over his mouth, and he tried desperately to move and wiggle but Tucker had bound him with zip ties and taped to the chair. Waverly closed her eyes and thought about how she could keep Tucker talking -- feeding off of his narcissism would help her buy time to think. 

“How did you get in here?”

He made a snort and bragged, “I created a security pass. Entered from the tunnels where they send their laundry, posing as a scientist in a hazmat suit. It was pathetic how easy it was.”

Waverly saw the disposed hazmat suit on the floor and swallowed. Shit. Everyone should have paid attention to Director Moody’s annual suggestion to increase the security budget, but the agents wanted a new coffee cart and new laptops instead. Stupid budegting decisions. 

“Clever,” she complimented him, trying to stroke his ego into talking more. “And my dad?”

Tucker visibly puffed his chest, pleased that Waverly was acknowledging his intelligence. 

“Watched him leave Director Moody’s office in a distraught state after that captain of yours... You really upset your father with your unnatural relationship, you know. He was so distracted he didn’t realise I had drugged his coffee until too late.”

“My relationship is  _ not  _ unnatural,” she tests him, anger from his public outing coming back. 

“It is!” His voice raised volume at her and Waverly hated herself for flinching when he shoved her forward so she’s forced to turn and face him. 

He’s in jeans and a blood stained t-shirt, his glasses smudged and face still covered in dried blood. His description matched exactly what witnesses who last saw him quoted, and Waverly realised the implication: he had nowhere to go. He was prepared to die today and make her his final kill. 

She doul have to disarm him or die trying. 

“Why do you even care?” She asked him. “Is it because I’m smarter than you?”

“You’re  _ not _ smarter than me!” He snarled at her, “These feminist ideals just let you women climb up the ladder faster now! Taking away positions from men! Like your  _ bitch  _ Captain Haught! Rumour has it Moody wants her to be director next!”

Waverly stood her ground, gently stepping in front of her father as Tucker kept his gun trained on her. Her father’s muffled screams were making her nervous and she tried her best to think about what words would keep Tucker talking. 

“And your mother, Tucker?”

“Don’t talk about my mother!”

/

“Hey!” Nicole saw Rosita sipping a coffee and panicked, “you’re supposed to be with Waverly!”

“No Juan Carlo is -- oh shit!” Rosita’s face paled in fear. 

Juan Carlo stepped in sight, a coffee of his own. He and Rosita seemed to realise neither was with Waverly and Nicole spun around to desperately see if Waverly was just somewhere in the cafeteria. Not caring who heard her she called out, “Waverly! Waverly?!”

“Haught?! What is it?” Wynonna and Willa ran over in panic and picked up on the fact that the two bodyguards were there without the youngest Earp and Nicole was freaking out. 

“Tucker must have hacked into Waverly’s bodyguard schedule to leave her vulnerable for a window of time! Where the  _ fuck  _ is she!” Nicole grabbed Wynonna by the shoulders, almost begging her to have an answer. 

“I -- she was on her way to go yell at Daddy!” Wynonna released quickly. 

“Stairs!” Willa ran for the stairs and passed the crowded elevator. 

“Elevators!” Rosita and Juan Carlo went in the other direction. 

“Code Red!” Nicole yelled out to the whole cafeteria, “we have reason to believe suspect Tucker Gardner is armed and dangerous in this building! Be on alert!”

Agents were up and on alert, following code red protocol. 

“Wynonna,” Nicole grabbed Wynonna’s wrist before the woman could run after Willa, and tugged her, “come on. This way. We can use the service elevator that goes near Director Moody’s office right near your dad’s, my captain badge will override the floors.”

They both ran that way, phones out as they tried to call Waverly. 

“She’s not picking up!” Wynonna freaked out as they entered the service elevator. 

“Maybe we shouldn’t both call at once?”

“You call first she would definitely pick up your call just to piss off Daddy rigth now.” 

/

Waverly felt her phone vibrating in her blazer’s pocket.

“Look Tucker, my bodyguards are going to notice I’m gone. Why don’t -- why don’t you take me hostage and we both get out of here alive? Before BBD trains guns on this place.”

“We all die here today, Waverly.” He told her. “You and me together forever.” 

She stepped forward again, closer to him and begged him, “please. I don’t want to die.”

He grinned, feeling powerful from her begging and she used his prideful moment of letting his guard down to disarm him now that she was close enough and facing him. 

A palm thrust up to break the nose, swift kick to his dick, and karate chop slapping his gun arm so it clattered away from them. She was about to grab the gun but he yelled in anger and grabbed her waist, throwing her against the wall. 

She grit her teeth at the pain and hardly got her footing before Tucker grabbed her neck from behind in a chokehold. 

She blindly threw an elbow back into his body and he grunted, his hold loosening long enough from the wheeze for her to push their bodies backwards and hard into the glass window. 

In the ongoing struggle, he twisted her around and tried to choke her against the glass, and she fought hard -- unwilling to die today and at the hands of  _ him _ of all shitheads, but the knee in her own gut he delivered knocked the wind out of her and she could feel herself starting to lose consciousness. . 

“Waverly!” she could hear muffled screams as someone tried to open the door, but Tucker had locked it from the inside so it was just her, him, and a helpless Ward Earp screaming for her life in his chair. 

/

Nicole didn’t think twice when she saw Waverly pressed against the glass and Tucker choking her. Wynonna was trying to kick down the door but she was going to be too late. 

Taking a quick breath, she calculated her options and raised her holstered service weapon, one shot into the glass of the window so it shattered -- causing Waverly to fall back and Tucker to stumble on top of her. And then, without any hesitation she shot Tucker Gardner right through the head. 

Double-tap killshot, and then she exhaled. 

/

Waverly gasped for air as hands were touching her face and hugging her. Wynonna was crying, holding her closely. She had heard the gunshots and she felt the pain of broken glass around her. Tucker was dead, his body had been pushed off of her by Wynonna, and his blood was all over her clothes, and suddenly Willa was there and her bodyguards. She was alive. 

She coughed, her neck sore from Tucker choking her and she looked through the broken window of the office to see that her father was being cut free of his binds by Nicole. He ripped the gag of tape from his mouth and with furious tears in his eyes he fell to his knees beside her on the broken glass and hugged her close. She sobbed into his chest, the adrenaline wearing off and the fear of having almost lost him  _ and  _ almost dying catching up to her. 

Looking up through her tears she saw Nicole standing awkwardly to the side -- clearly going through the same round of emotional trauma. 

Sniffling, Waverly made to stand up from the crushing hugs of her blubbering father and sisters -- overprotective but real teddy bears it would seem. She winced as she stood, feeling the bruises on her body and took a limping step forward with her arms reaching for Nicole.

Nicole met her halfway, holding her close and inhaling her in desperately. And it was here, in these arms, that Waverly finally felt safe. 

“Are you okay?” She asked Nicole. 

“I,” Nicole choked back some tears of her own, “I almost thought I lost you -- just never do that again okay?”

“I’ll try,” Waverly promised, giving her best watery and assuring smile. 

Nicole kissed her forehead and blinked, then turned her attention to the eavesdropping Earps and told them all, “let’s get you all checked out for glass shards.”

“Ambulance on the way,” Juan Carlo confirmed. “Glad you’re okay Waverly.” 

“Thanks,” she smiled, “thank you everyone.” 

“You still got whiskey in your office daddy? I need a shitton of it right now,” Wynonna stood up, brushing herself free of some glass before hissing when she cut herself on one. “Fuck.”

“Can one of you let your old man up? I’ve been skipping zumba with Nedley,” Ward groaned. 

“He skips it too,” Nicole said casually, being the first to offer her hand forward. Ward accepted the offered hand and let her help tug him to his feet. 

And just like that, Waverly knew her family had accepted Nicole. 

//

//

“And that’s why we say mandatory mosquito helmets,” Nicole told her punchline to the circled group laughing over champagne, a charming dimpled grin on her lips as Ward cackled like it was the funniest thing he ever heard. 

“Yeesh, Daddy loves her a little too much,” Wynonna said before tossing her whiskey back down her throat. “That was not  _ that _ funny.”

“Be nice,” Waverly nudged her sister before smoothly suggesting, “refill?”

“I see your refill and I raise you a MANDATORY PURGATORY SQUAD SHOTS AT THE BAR!”

Waverly laughed as their squad all cheered, and she joined her squad by the bar even though Nicole in a black dress was much more tempting. 

She was pleased to see Eliza had met a rather attractive woman with cropped black hair, that Doc had brought his incredibly cool wife Kate, and that Jeremy had mustered enough courage to ask out Agent Robin Jett. 

She politely ignored the fact that Dolls and Wynonna had very obviously hooked up in the bathroom (she would ask Wynonna about it some other time). 

“Hey beautiful,” lips were near her ear and Waverly smiled, looking to her left where Nicole was looking at her sweetly. She had ditched Nedley and Moody and Ward to join the squad for shots. Everyone was indulging tonight it would seem -- even Director Moody was unforgiving to an open bar claiming they saved lives enough so the government could afford to let them ‘drink the good stuff for at least one night.’ 

“Hey,” she quickly leaned up to brush their lips together, “have I told you how amazing you look in your black dress?”

“You can tell me again,” Nicole grinned and leaned back. “Have I told you how good you look with that shiny medal around your neck?”

Waverly giggled and kissed her fully. As they broke off their kiss, a cough interrupted them. 

“Hey Waverly,” Agent Hardy in a tux was the one who interrupted them, a champagne flute in his hand as he slurred. “Just um, wanted to say congrats and… yeah. Congrats.”

Surprised, Waverly gave him an awkward smile, “oh well, thanks Champ.”

“Cool. And hey Captain Haught.” 

Nicole looked at him oddly. .

“No hard feelings, and also that video of you shooting Fucker Tucker in the head is so badass. Yeah -- oh shots!”

He was gone and Nicole turned curious eyes to Waverly. 

“Video of me?”

Waverly coyly smiled, draping her arms around Nicole's shoulders, “did you know we were voted cutest BBD couple? Won by a landslide.”

“That’s a thing?”

“Yep. Suzanne from HR sends out a poll every year.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there you have it! i hope you liked it, can't wait to hear your thoughts in comments and thank you for reading


End file.
